Re: [PATCH v4 1/7] x86/kexec: Consolidate relocate_kernel() function parameters

From: Tom Lendacky
Date: Mon Jul 21 2025 - 17:27:58 EST


On 7/21/25 16:20, Huang, Kai wrote:
> On Mon, 2025-07-21 at 09:40 -0500, Tom Lendacky wrote:
>> On 7/17/25 16:46, Kai Huang wrote:
>>> During kexec, the kernel jumps to the new kernel in relocate_kernel(),
>>> which is implemented in assembly and both 32-bit and 64-bit have their
>>> own version.
>>>
>>> Currently, for both 32-bit and 64-bit, the last two parameters of the
>>> relocate_kernel() are both 'unsigned int' but actually they only convey
>>> a boolean, i.e., one bit information. The 'unsigned int' has enough
>>> space to carry two bits information therefore there's no need to pass
>>> the two booleans in two separate 'unsigned int'.
>>>
>>> Consolidate the last two function parameters of relocate_kernel() into a
>>> single 'unsigned int' and pass flags instead.
>>>
>>> Only consolidate the 64-bit version albeit the similar optimization can
>>> be done for the 32-bit version too. Don't bother changing the 32-bit
>>> version while it is working (since assembly code change is required).
>>>
>>> Signed-off-by: Kai Huang <kai.huang@xxxxxxxxx>
>>> ---
>>> arch/x86/include/asm/kexec.h | 12 ++++++++++--
>>> arch/x86/kernel/machine_kexec_64.c | 22 +++++++++++++---------
>>> arch/x86/kernel/relocate_kernel_64.S | 19 +++++++++----------
>>> 3 files changed, 32 insertions(+), 21 deletions(-)
>>>

>>> @@ -204,7 +202,7 @@ SYM_CODE_START_LOCAL_NOALIGN(identity_mapped)
>>> * entries that will conflict with the now unencrypted memory
>>> * used by kexec. Flush the caches before copying the kernel.
>>> */
>>> - testq %r8, %r8
>>> + testq $RELOC_KERNEL_HOST_MEM_ACTIVE, %r11
>>
>> Hmmm... can't both bits be set at the same time? If so, then this will
>> fail. This should be doing bit tests now.
>
> TEST instruction performs logical AND of the two operands, therefore the
> above equals to:
>
> set ZF if "R11 AND BIT(1) == 0".
>
> Whether there's any other bits set in R11 doesn't impact the above, right?
>

Doh! My bad, yes, not sure what I was thinking there.

Thanks,
Tom

>>
>>> jz .Lsme_off
>>> wbinvd
>>> .Lsme_off:
>>> @@ -220,7 +218,7 @@ SYM_CODE_START_LOCAL_NOALIGN(identity_mapped)
>>> movq %cr3, %rax
>>> movq %rax, %cr3
>>>
>>> - testq %r11, %r11 /* preserve_context */
>>> + testq $RELOC_KERNEL_PRESERVE_CONTEXT, %r11
>>> jnz .Lrelocate
>>>
>>> /*
>>> @@ -273,7 +271,7 @@ SYM_CODE_START_LOCAL_NOALIGN(identity_mapped)
>>> ANNOTATE_NOENDBR
>>> andq $PAGE_MASK, %r8
>>> lea PAGE_SIZE(%r8), %rsp
>>> - movl $1, %r11d /* Ensure preserve_context flag is set */
>>> + movl $RELOC_KERNEL_PRESERVE_CONTEXT, %r11d /* Ensure preserve_context flag is set */
>>
>> And this will clear any value that was in r11 vs setting a single bit.
>> Not sure it currently has any effect because r8 (where the memory
>> encryption setting was held) is modified just before this. But if any
>> bits are added in the future that are needed past here, this will be a
>> problem.
>
> Right. It's just for the
>
> call swap_pages
>
> right after it. Nothing else later uses RELOC_KERNEL_PRESERVE_CONTEXT or
> RELOC_KERNEL_HOST_MEM_ACTIVE.
>
> Maybe we can add a comment to remind that all other flags are not restored
> so if someone wants to add a new bit and use it at a later he/she can see?
>
> /*
> * Ensure RELOC_KERNEL_PRESERVE_CONTEXT flag is set so swap_pages
> * can do things correctly. Note this doesn't restore any other 
> * RELOC_KERNEL_* flags that were passed to relocate_kernel().
> */
>>
>>> call swap_pages
>>> movq kexec_va_control_page(%rip), %rax
>>> 0: addq $virtual_mapped - 0b, %rax
>>> @@ -321,7 +319,7 @@ SYM_CODE_START_LOCAL_NOALIGN(swap_pages)
>>> UNWIND_HINT_END_OF_STACK
>>> /*
>>> * %rdi indirection page
>>> - * %r11 preserve_context
>>> + * %r11 flags: RELOC_KERNEL_*
>>> */
>>> movq %rdi, %rcx /* Put the indirection_page in %rcx */
>>> xorl %edi, %edi
>>> @@ -357,7 +355,8 @@ SYM_CODE_START_LOCAL_NOALIGN(swap_pages)
>>> movq %rdi, %rdx /* Save destination page to %rdx */
>>> movq %rsi, %rax /* Save source page to %rax */
>>>
>>> - testq %r11, %r11 /* Only actually swap for ::preserve_context */
>>> + /* Only actually swap for ::preserve_context */
>>> + testq $RELOC_KERNEL_PRESERVE_CONTEXT, %r11
>>
>> Ditto here on the bit testing.
>
> I don't see any problem? Please see above.