2ec13df167
On book3s/32, when STRICT_KERNEL_RWX is selected, modules are allocated on the segment just before kernel text, ie on the 0xb0000000-0xbfffffff when PAGE_OFFSET is 0xc0000000. On the 8xx, TASK_SIZE is 0x80000000. The space between TASK_SIZE and PAGE_OFFSET is not used and could be used for modules. The idea comes from ARM architecture. Having modules just below PAGE_OFFSET offers an opportunity to minimise the distance between kernel text and modules and avoid trampolines in modules to access kernel functions or other module functions. When MODULES_VADDR is defined, powerpc has it's own module_alloc() function. In that function, first try to allocate the module above the limit defined by '_etext - 32M'. Then if the allocation fails, fallback to the entire MODULES area. DEBUG logs in module_32.c without the patch: [ 1572.588822] module_32: Applying ADD relocate section 13 to 12 [ 1572.588891] module_32: Doing plt for call to 0xc00671a4 at 0xcae04024 [ 1572.588964] module_32: Initialized plt for 0xc00671a4 at cae04000 [ 1572.589037] module_32: REL24 value = CAE04000. location = CAE04024 [ 1572.589110] module_32: Location before: 48000001. [ 1572.589171] module_32: Location after: 4BFFFFDD. [ 1572.589231] module_32: ie. jump to 03FFFFDC+CAE04024 = CEE04000 [ 1572.589317] module_32: Applying ADD relocate section 15 to 14 [ 1572.589386] module_32: Doing plt for call to 0xc00671a4 at 0xcadfc018 [ 1572.589457] module_32: Initialized plt for 0xc00671a4 at cadfc000 [ 1572.589529] module_32: REL24 value = CADFC000. location = CADFC018 [ 1572.589601] module_32: Location before: 48000000. [ 1572.589661] module_32: Location after: 4BFFFFE8. [ 1572.589723] module_32: ie. jump to 03FFFFE8+CADFC018 = CEDFC000 With the patch: [ 279.404671] module_32: Applying ADD relocate section 13 to 12 [ 279.404741] module_32: REL24 value = C00671B4. location = BF808024 [ 279.404814] module_32: Location before: 48000001. [ 279.404874] module_32: Location after: 4885F191. [ 279.404933] module_32: ie. jump to 0085F190+BF808024 = C00671B4 [ 279.405016] module_32: Applying ADD relocate section 15 to 14 [ 279.405085] module_32: REL24 value = C00671B4. location = BF800018 [ 279.405156] module_32: Location before: 48000000. [ 279.405215] module_32: Location after: 4886719C. [ 279.405275] module_32: ie. jump to 0086719C+BF800018 = C00671B4 We see that with the patch, no plt entries are set. Signed-off-by: Christophe Leroy <christophe.leroy@csgroup.eu> Signed-off-by: Michael Ellerman <mpe@ellerman.id.au> Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/0c3d5cb8a4dfdf6ca1b8aeb385c01470d6628d55.1617283827.git.christophe.leroy@csgroup.eu
Linux kernel
============
There are several guides for kernel developers and users. These guides can
be rendered in a number of formats, like HTML and PDF. Please read
Documentation/admin-guide/README.rst first.
In order to build the documentation, use ``make htmldocs`` or
``make pdfdocs``. The formatted documentation can also be read online at:
https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/
There are various text files in the Documentation/ subdirectory,
several of them using the Restructured Text markup notation.
Please read the Documentation/process/changes.rst file, as it contains the
requirements for building and running the kernel, and information about
the problems which may result by upgrading your kernel.