[PATCH v3 01/11] x86/boot: enumerate documentation for the x86 hardware_subarch

From: Luis R. Rodriguez
Date: Tue Feb 23 2016 - 02:24:31 EST


Although hardware_subarch has been in place since the x86 boot
protocol 2.07 it hasn't been used much. Enumerate current possible
values to avoid misuses and help with semantics later at boot
time should this be used further.

v2: fix typos

Cc: Andy Shevchenko <andriy.shevchenko@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Signed-off-by: Luis R. Rodriguez <mcgrof@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
arch/x86/include/uapi/asm/bootparam.h | 31 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-
1 file changed, 30 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/arch/x86/include/uapi/asm/bootparam.h b/arch/x86/include/uapi/asm/bootparam.h
index 329254373479..50d5009cf276 100644
--- a/arch/x86/include/uapi/asm/bootparam.h
+++ b/arch/x86/include/uapi/asm/bootparam.h
@@ -157,7 +157,36 @@ struct boot_params {
__u8 _pad9[276]; /* 0xeec */
} __attribute__((packed));

-enum {
+/**
+ * enum x86_hardware_subarch - x86 hardware subarchitecture
+ *
+ * The x86 hardware_subarch and hardware_subarch_data were added as of the x86
+ * boot protocol 2.07 to help distinguish and supports custom x86 boot
+ * sequences. This enum represents accepted values for the x86
+ * hardware_subarch. Custom x86 boot sequences (not X86_SUBARCH_PC) do not have
+ * or simply do not make use of natural stubs like BIOS or EFI, the
+ * hardware_subarch can be used on the Linux entry path to revector to a
+ * subarchitecture stub when needed. This subarchitecture stub can be used to
+ * set up Linux boot parameters or for special care to account for nonstandard
+ * handling of page tables.
+ *
+ * KVM and Xen HVM do not have a subarch as these are expected to follow
+ * standard x86 boot entries. If there is a genuine need for "hypervisor" type
+ * that should be considered separately in the future.
+ *
+ * @X86_SUBARCH_PC: Should be used if the hardware is enumerable using standard
+ * PC mechanisms (PCI, ACPI) and doesn't need a special boot flow.
+ * @X86_SUBARCH_LGUEST: Used for x86 hypervisor demo, lguest
+ * @X86_SUBARCH_XEN: Used for Xen guest types which follow the PV boot path,
+ * which start at asm startup_xen() entry point and later jump to the C
+ * xen_start_kernel() entry point.
+ * @X86_SUBARCH_INTEL_MID: Used for Intel MID (Mobile Internet Device) platform
+ * systems which do not have the PCI legacy interfaces.
+ * @X86_SUBARCH_CE4100: Used for Intel CE media processor (CE4100) SOC for
+ * for settop boxes and media devices, the use of a subarch for CE4100
+ * is more of a hack...
+ */
+enum x86_hardware_subarch {
X86_SUBARCH_PC = 0,
X86_SUBARCH_LGUEST,
X86_SUBARCH_XEN,
--
2.7.0