Re: [PATCH] mips: fix start of free memory when using initrd

[David Daney <ddaney@caviumnetworks.com>]

On 09/09/2010 11:10 PM, Greg Ungerer wrote:
>
> Hi David,
>
> David Daney wrote:
[...]
>> We have the attached patch (plus a few more hacks), I don't think it
>> is universally safe to change the calculation of reserved_end.
>> Although the patch has some code formatting problems you might
>> consider using it as a starting point.>
> I don't use the Cavium u-boot boot loader on this. (And don't use any
> of the named blocks, or other data struct passing from the boot loader
> to the kernel). So the patch is not really useful for me.
>
> But I am interested, why do you think it is not safe to change
> reserved_end?

For Octeon it is probably safe, but there is a reason that this complex 
logic for restricting the usable memory ranges exists.  Other targets 
require it, so great care must be taken not to break the non-octeon targets.

>
> There is the possible overlap of the kernels bootmem setup data
> that is not checked (which sparc does for example). But otherwise
> what problems do you see here?
>

I lack the imagination necessary to come up with a failing scenario, but 
I am also paranoid, so I see danger everywhere.

David Daney