| Kernel Memory Layout on ARM Linux |
| |
| Russell King <rmk@arm.linux.org.uk> |
| November 17, 2005 (2.6.15) |
| |
| This document describes the virtual memory layout which the Linux |
| kernel uses for ARM processors. It indicates which regions are |
| free for platforms to use, and which are used by generic code. |
| |
| The ARM CPU is capable of addressing a maximum of 4GB virtual memory |
| space, and this must be shared between user space processes, the |
| kernel, and hardware devices. |
| |
| As the ARM architecture matures, it becomes necessary to reserve |
| certain regions of VM space for use for new facilities; therefore |
| this document may reserve more VM space over time. |
| |
| Start End Use |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| ffff8000 ffffffff copy_user_page / clear_user_page use. |
| For SA11xx and Xscale, this is used to |
| setup a minicache mapping. |
| |
| ffff1000 ffff7fff Reserved. |
| Platforms must not use this address range. |
| |
| ffff0000 ffff0fff CPU vector page. |
| The CPU vectors are mapped here if the |
| CPU supports vector relocation (control |
| register V bit.) |
| |
| ffc00000 fffeffff DMA memory mapping region. Memory returned |
| by the dma_alloc_xxx functions will be |
| dynamically mapped here. |
| |
| ff000000 ffbfffff Reserved for future expansion of DMA |
| mapping region. |
| |
| VMALLOC_END feffffff Free for platform use, recommended. |
| VMALLOC_END must be aligned to a 2MB |
| boundary. |
| |
| VMALLOC_START VMALLOC_END-1 vmalloc() / ioremap() space. |
| Memory returned by vmalloc/ioremap will |
| be dynamically placed in this region. |
| VMALLOC_START may be based upon the value |
| of the high_memory variable. |
| |
| PAGE_OFFSET high_memory-1 Kernel direct-mapped RAM region. |
| This maps the platforms RAM, and typically |
| maps all platform RAM in a 1:1 relationship. |
| |
| TASK_SIZE PAGE_OFFSET-1 Kernel module space |
| Kernel modules inserted via insmod are |
| placed here using dynamic mappings. |
| |
| 00001000 TASK_SIZE-1 User space mappings |
| Per-thread mappings are placed here via |
| the mmap() system call. |
| |
| 00000000 00000fff CPU vector page / null pointer trap |
| CPUs which do not support vector remapping |
| place their vector page here. NULL pointer |
| dereferences by both the kernel and user |
| space are also caught via this mapping. |
| |
| Please note that mappings which collide with the above areas may result |
| in a non-bootable kernel, or may cause the kernel to (eventually) panic |
| at run time. |
| |
| Since future CPUs may impact the kernel mapping layout, user programs |
| must not access any memory which is not mapped inside their 0x0001000 |
| to TASK_SIZE address range. If they wish to access these areas, they |
| must set up their own mappings using open() and mmap(). |