Re: [PATCH v4 3/3] x86/vmemmap: Handle unpopulated sub-pmd ranges

From: Dave Hansen
Date: Fri Mar 05 2021 - 12:39:00 EST


On 3/4/21 9:02 AM, Dave Hansen wrote:
>> +#define PAGE_UNUSED 0xFD
>> +/*
>> + * The unused vmemmap range, which was not yet memset(PAGE_UNUSED) ranges
>> + * from unused_pmd_start to next PMD_SIZE boundary.
>> + */
>> +static unsigned long unused_pmd_start __meminitdata;
> This whole 'unused_pmd_start' thing was unmentioned in the changelog.

One tiny suggestion: *Sometimes* for these optimizations, it's easiest
to write the code up without it in one patch, then add the optimization
in the next patch.

It makes it 100% clear what is part of the "core" algorithm and what is
pure optimization.

I don't know if it will work here, but it might be worth taking a look.