use of BAT before taking over the MMU
Segher Boessenkool
segher at kernel.crashing.org
Tue Oct 5 18:54:35 EST 2010
>> The PowerPC OF binding requires the firmware to save and restore
>> the BATs on entry to / exit from the firmware.
>
> This sucks, because using the BAT is **much** easier for
> the firmware. In my case, it also means I don't need to worry
> about Linux stomping on anything -- I have nothing in RAM.
It's easy to save and restore the BATs on firmware entry/exit,
where do you see a problem?
> Page tables would need to go in RAM. If Linux wants to
> use that memory...?
Same way as when the client uses *any* memory OF has claimed:
it has to stop calling OF from then on.
> It seems that Linux does tend to ask;
> will it panic if I refuse? Are there addresses Linux won't
> ever ask for?
Linux always "kills" OF pretty early on.
> It also looks like I could just start up Linux w/o the MMU on.
Yes, that's common and works. You will still need BATs (or
something else) to do I/O from the firmware though.
Segher
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