Re: [PATCH 08/36] AArch64: Kernel booting and initialisation

[Jon Masters]

On 07/19/2012 01:31 PM, Christopher Covington wrote:
> On 07/18/2012 02:57 AM, Jon Masters wrote:
>> On 07/06/2012 05:05 PM, Catalin Marinas wrote:
>>
>>> +- CPU mode
>>> +  All forms of interrupts must be masked in PSTATE.DAIF (Debug, SError,
>>> +  IRQ and FIQ).
>>> +  The CPU must be in either EL2 (RECOMMENDED) or non-secure EL1.
> 
> Why not secure EL1?

Because secure world and non-secure world are separated. Although ARMv8
does define EL0 and EL1 in both secure and non-secure worlds, they're
really two different things. General purpose OSes run their kernel in
EL1 (userspace in EL0). We don't ever even see the secure EL1.

>> Even though this stuff is likely to be replaced with the result of some
>> of the other standardization, I'd like it if you'd strongly consider
>> removing the "or non-secure EL1". If you give an inch, someone will take
>> a mile and build a system that enters other than in EL2. Or, something
>> to the effect of "the highest non-secure exception level implemented"
>> would be my preference if you don't want to specify.
> 
> I think it would be best to list the technical limitations, from the
> kernel's perspective, of the unsupported exception levels and the
> advantages of the supported exception levels here. If you want to guide
> system builders towards EL2, I think it'd be more convincing to document
> the relevant technical aspects (perhaps KVM needs facilities only
> available in EL2) than just providing an unexplained requirement.

Unless you enter at EL2 you can never install a hypervisor. That's the
reason for the requirement for generally entering at EL2 when possible.

Jon.

--
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in
the body of a message to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
More majordomo info at  http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
Please read the FAQ at  http://www.tux.org/lkml/