Re: .exit.text section in vmlinux

["Magnus Damm" <magnus.damm@gmail.com>]

On 7/1/06, Chase Venters <chase.venters@clientec.com> wrote:
> On Fri, 30 Jun 2006, Magnus Damm wrote:
> > The linker script arch/i386/kernel/vmlinux.lds.S mentions the following:
> >
> >  /* .exit.text is discard at runtime, not link time, to deal with references
> >     from .altinstructions and .eh_frame */
>
> .altinstructions is for alternatives code (code that is rewritten at
> runtime based on some factor such as UP-vs-SMP). .eh_frame has call
> framing information used for unwinding. I think it's copied into the
> vsyscall page (not entirely familiar with this mechanism though).

Thanks for clarifying.

> > The text above seems to answer my question, but I cannot say I fully
> > understand the comment. I'd appreciate if someone could explain a bit
> > more if possible.
> >
> > Ok, so the section should be discarded at runtime. Sounds ok. But
> > where in the code is this section discarded? -ENOSYS?
>
> When you see "Freeing unused kernel memory", the memory between
> __init_begin and __init_end (as marked in vmlinux.ld.S) is released. See
> arch-specific mm/init.c.

Oh, I see. It looks like things are working as expected then. Thank you!

Cheers,

/ magnus