diff options
| author | Kumar Kartikeya Dwivedi <memxor@gmail.com> | 2026-09-04 10:43:19 +0200 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Alexei Starovoitov <ast@kernel.org> | 2026-09-04 07:58:36 -0700 |
| commit | 6668ed271eaefaa63e686bdfbedaeb7b8e492722 (patch) | |
| tree | 58e8288fead484f6755ad0815fc74c3742663761 /Documentation/admin-guide/blockdev/ramdisk.rst | |
| download | linux-stable-6668ed271eaefaa63e686bdfbedaeb7b8e492722.tar.gz linux-stable-6668ed271eaefaa63e686bdfbedaeb7b8e492722.zip | |
selftests/bpf: Reject graph kptr use after RCU unlockgrafted
Add a sleepable verifier test that loads a graph-node local kptr in an
explicit RCU read-side critical section, then passes its node to
bpf_rbtree_remove() after the section ends.
Before the verifier fix, the stale NON_OWN_REF flag makes the node look like
a live borrowed reference and the program is accepted. After the fix, the
pointer is demoted without NON_OWN_REF and the graph kfunc argument is
rejected.
Also exercise a graph kptr loaded while a spin lock provides implicit RCU
protection. The pointer must be invalidated when the lock is released, which
guards the required ordering between non-owning-reference invalidation and
RCU demotion.
Update the existing fault-protected load test state description. The
post-unlock pointer no longer carries NON_OWN_REF, but remains readable
because the load is rewritten to use BPF_PROBE_MEM.
Signed-off-by: Kumar Kartikeya Dwivedi <memxor@gmail.com>
Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/20260904084325.52250-7-memxor@gmail.com
Signed-off-by: Alexei Starovoitov <ast@kernel.org>
Diffstat (limited to 'Documentation/admin-guide/blockdev/ramdisk.rst')
| -rw-r--r-- | Documentation/admin-guide/blockdev/ramdisk.rst | 153 |
1 files changed, 153 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/blockdev/ramdisk.rst b/Documentation/admin-guide/blockdev/ramdisk.rst new file mode 100644 index 000000000..9ce6101e8 --- /dev/null +++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/blockdev/ramdisk.rst @@ -0,0 +1,153 @@ +========================================== +Using the RAM disk block device with Linux +========================================== + +.. Contents: + + 1) Overview + 2) Kernel Command Line Parameters + 3) Using "rdev" + 4) An Example of Creating a Compressed RAM Disk + + +1) Overview +----------- + +The RAM disk driver is a way to use main system memory as a block device. It +is required for initrd, an initial filesystem used if you need to load modules +in order to access the root filesystem (see Documentation/admin-guide/initrd.rst). It can +also be used for a temporary filesystem for crypto work, since the contents +are erased on reboot. + +The RAM disk dynamically grows as more space is required. It does this by using +RAM from the buffer cache. The driver marks the buffers it is using as dirty +so that the VM subsystem does not try to reclaim them later. + +The RAM disk supports up to 16 RAM disks by default, and can be reconfigured +to support an unlimited number of RAM disks (at your own risk). Just change +the configuration symbol BLK_DEV_RAM_COUNT in the Block drivers config menu +and (re)build the kernel. + +To use RAM disk support with your system, run './MAKEDEV ram' from the /dev +directory. RAM disks are all major number 1, and start with minor number 0 +for /dev/ram0, etc. If used, modern kernels use /dev/ram0 for an initrd. + +The new RAM disk also has the ability to load compressed RAM disk images, +allowing one to squeeze more programs onto an average installation or +rescue floppy disk. + + +2) Parameters +--------------------------------- + +2a) Kernel Command Line Parameters + + ramdisk_size=N + Size of the ramdisk. + +This parameter tells the RAM disk driver to set up RAM disks of N k size. The +default is 4096 (4 MB). + +2b) Module parameters + + rd_nr + /dev/ramX devices created. + + max_part + Maximum partition number. + + rd_size + See ramdisk_size. + +3) Using "rdev" +--------------- + +"rdev" is an obsolete, deprecated, antiquated utility that could be used +to set the boot device in a Linux kernel image. + +Instead of using rdev, just place the boot device information on the +kernel command line and pass it to the kernel from the bootloader. + +You can also pass arguments to the kernel by setting FDARGS in +arch/x86/boot/Makefile and specify in initrd image by setting FDINITRD in +arch/x86/boot/Makefile. + +Some of the kernel command line boot options that may apply here are:: + + ramdisk_start=N + ramdisk_size=M + +If you make a boot disk that has LILO, then for the above, you would use:: + + append = "ramdisk_start=N ramdisk_size=M" + +4) An Example of Creating a Compressed RAM Disk +----------------------------------------------- + +To create a RAM disk image, you will need a spare block device to +construct it on. This can be the RAM disk device itself, or an +unused disk partition (such as an unmounted swap partition). For this +example, we will use the RAM disk device, "/dev/ram0". + +Note: This technique should not be done on a machine with less than 8 MB +of RAM. If using a spare disk partition instead of /dev/ram0, then this +restriction does not apply. + +a) Decide on the RAM disk size that you want. Say 2 MB for this example. + Create it by writing to the RAM disk device. (This step is not currently + required, but may be in the future.) It is wise to zero out the + area (esp. for disks) so that maximal compression is achieved for + the unused blocks of the image that you are about to create:: + + dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/ram0 bs=1k count=2048 + +b) Make a filesystem on it. Say ext2fs for this example:: + + mke2fs -vm0 /dev/ram0 2048 + +c) Mount it, copy the files you want to it (eg: /etc/* /dev/* ...) + and unmount it again. + +d) Compress the contents of the RAM disk. The level of compression + will be approximately 50% of the space used by the files. Unused + space on the RAM disk will compress to almost nothing:: + + dd if=/dev/ram0 bs=1k count=2048 | gzip -v9 > /tmp/ram_image.gz + +e) Put the kernel onto the floppy:: + + dd if=zImage of=/dev/fd0 bs=1k + +f) Put the RAM disk image onto the floppy, after the kernel. Use an offset + that is slightly larger than the kernel, so that you can put another + (possibly larger) kernel onto the same floppy later without overlapping + the RAM disk image. An offset of 400 kB for kernels about 350 kB in + size would be reasonable. Make sure offset+size of ram_image.gz is + not larger than the total space on your floppy (usually 1440 kB):: + + dd if=/tmp/ram_image.gz of=/dev/fd0 bs=1k seek=400 + +g) Make sure that you have already specified the boot information in + FDARGS and FDINITRD or that you use a bootloader to pass kernel + command line boot options to the kernel. + +That is it. You now have your boot/root compressed RAM disk floppy. Some +users may wish to combine steps (d) and (f) by using a pipe. + + + Paul Gortmaker 12/95 + +Changelog: +---------- + +SEPT-2020 : + + Removed usage of "rdev" + +10-22-04 : + Updated to reflect changes in command line options, remove + obsolete references, general cleanup. + James Nelson (james4765@gmail.com) + +12-95 : + Original Document |
