The physical memory range that kexec selects for the compressed bzimage target kernel, might not be where it runs from. The startup_64() code in head_64.S copies itself out of the way before the decompression so it doesn't clobber itself. If the start of the memory range selected by kexec is above LOAD_PHYSICAL_ADDR (0x01000000 by default), then the copy remains within the memory area. But if the start is below this range, then the copy will likely end up outside the range. Usually, this will be harmless because not much memory is in use at the time of the pre-decompression copy, so there is little to accidentally clobber. However, an unlucky choice for the adress of the kernel and the initrd could put the initrd in harm's way. For example: 0x00400000 - physical address for target kernel 0x03ff8000 - physical address of seven-page initrd 0x0302c000 - size of uncompressed kernel (about 50 Mbytes) The decompressed kernel will span 0x01000000 through 0x0402c000, which will overwrite the initrd. If the kexec code restricts itself to physical addresses above 0x01000000, then the pre-decompression copy and the decompression itself will stay within the bounds of the memory kexec selected (unless a non-default value is used in the target kernel for CONFIG_PHYSICAL_START, which will change LOAD_PHYSICAL_ADDR, but that's probably unsolvable unless the target kernel were to somehow communicate this to kexec). Signed-off-by: John Sperbeck <jsperbeck@xxxxxxxxxx> --- arch/x86/kernel/kexec-bzimage64.c | 2 +- 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/kexec-bzimage64.c b/arch/x86/kernel/kexec-bzimage64.c index a61c12c01270..d6bf6c13dab1 100644 --- a/arch/x86/kernel/kexec-bzimage64.c +++ b/arch/x86/kernel/kexec-bzimage64.c @@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ */ #define MIN_PURGATORY_ADDR 0x3000 #define MIN_BOOTPARAM_ADDR 0x3000 -#define MIN_KERNEL_LOAD_ADDR 0x100000 +#define MIN_KERNEL_LOAD_ADDR 0x1000000 #define MIN_INITRD_LOAD_ADDR 0x1000000 /* -- 2.42.0.655.g421f12c284-goog _______________________________________________ kexec mailing list kexec@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx http://lists.infradead.org/mailman/listinfo/kexec