diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'Documentation/arm/memory.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | Documentation/arm/memory.txt | 72 |
1 files changed, 72 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/arm/memory.txt b/Documentation/arm/memory.txt new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..4b1c93a8177 --- /dev/null +++ b/Documentation/arm/memory.txt @@ -0,0 +1,72 @@ + Kernel Memory Layout on ARM Linux + + Russell King <rmk@arm.linux.org.uk> + May 21, 2004 (2.6.6) + +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_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(). |