On Tue, 12 Nov 2024, Rong Xu wrote: > The _stext symbol is intended to reference the start of the text section. > However, it currently relies on a fragile link order because the existing > EXPORT(_stext) resides within the .text section, which is not guaranteed > to be placed first. Umm, arch/mips/kernel/head.S does mean to be linked first. We rely on it for environments where there's no entry point is available and execution starts from the beginning of the image. See the comment right below your change. > Move the _stext definition to the linker script to enforce an explicit > ordering. So if you say that the link order is fragile (which it may well be), then that problem has to be fixed instead, likely with the linker script too, and then perhaps an ASSERT placed there to verify that it has worked and `_stext' refers to the beginning, taking into account what follows too. Also note that `_stext' currently points beyond the space reserved for exception handlers. Have you analysed what the consequences would be if it was moved ahead of it, which your change does AFAICT? Maciej
