Re: [PATCH v4 01/19] liveupdate, kho: Remove __packed from KHO, LUO and memfd ABI structures

[tarunsahu]

"Pasha Tatashin" <pasha.tatashin@xxxxxxxxxx> writes:

> On Tue Nov 10, 2026 at 12:01 AM EST, Tarun Sahu wrote:
>> All structures in include/linux/kho/abi/block.h (struct
>> kho_block_header_ser), include/linux/kho/abi/luo.h (struct luo_ser,
>> struct luo_file_ser, struct luo_file_set_ser, struct luo_session_ser,
>> struct luo_flb_header_ser, struct luo_flb_ser) and
>> include/linux/kho/abi/memfd.h (struct memfd_luo_folio_ser, struct
>> memfd_luo_ser) have naturally aligned fields on 64-bit architectures,
>> with no padding holes between fields or tail padding. Assert both the
>> structure size and 8-byte alignment under CONFIG_64BIT at compile time.
>> Any future unaligned field addition should come with reserved field to
>> keep the structure aligned.
>
> Just state:
>
> Remove __packed, as it may break natural alignment. Instead, ensure that 
> all padding holes are explicitly covered by reserved or similar fields, 
> as is already done for KHO/LUO serialized data, so no functional changes 
> are intended by this change.

This look good. I will update it. Thanks.

>
>>
>> Signed-off-by: Tarun Sahu <tarunsahu@xxxxxxxxxx>
>> ---
>>  include/linux/kho/abi/block.h | 10 +++++++--
>>  include/linux/kho/abi/luo.h   | 38 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++------
>>  include/linux/kho/abi/memfd.h | 16 ++++++++++++---
>>  3 files changed, 53 insertions(+), 11 deletions(-)
>>
>> diff --git a/include/linux/kho/abi/block.h b/include/linux/kho/abi/block.h
>> index d06d64b963be..36bdbaf9b3b8 100644
>> --- a/include/linux/kho/abi/block.h
>> +++ b/include/linux/kho/abi/block.h
>> @@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
>>   * pre-update kernel to a post-update kernel.
>>   *
>>   * This interface is a contract. Any modification to the structure fields,
>> - * compatible strings, or the layout of the `__packed` serialization
>> + * compatible strings, or the layout of the serialization
>>   * structures defined here constitutes a breaking change. Such changes require
>>   * incrementing the version number in the `KHO_FDT_COMPATIBLE` string to
>>   * prevent a new kernel from misinterpreting data from an old kernel.
>> @@ -26,6 +26,8 @@
>>  #define _LINUX_KHO_ABI_BLOCK_H
>>  
>>  #include <asm/page.h>
>> +#include <linux/build_bug.h>
>> +#include <linux/kconfig.h>
>>  #include <linux/types.h>
>>  
>>  /**
>> @@ -49,6 +51,10 @@
>>  struct kho_block_header_ser {
>>  	u64 next;
>>  	u64 count;
>> -} __packed;
>> +};
>> +
>> +static_assert(sizeof(struct kho_block_header_ser) == 16);
>> +static_assert(!IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_64BIT) ||
>> +	      __alignof__(struct kho_block_header_ser) == 8);
>>  
>>  #endif /* _LINUX_KHO_ABI_BLOCK_H */
>> diff --git a/include/linux/kho/abi/luo.h b/include/linux/kho/abi/luo.h
>> index 288076de6d4a..721949374fa1 100644
>> --- a/include/linux/kho/abi/luo.h
>> +++ b/include/linux/kho/abi/luo.h
>> @@ -58,6 +58,8 @@
>>  #define _LINUX_KHO_ABI_LUO_H
>>  
>>  #include <linux/align.h>
>> +#include <linux/build_bug.h>
>> +#include <linux/kconfig.h>
>>  #include <linux/kho/abi/block.h>
>>  #include <uapi/linux/liveupdate.h>
>>  
>> @@ -82,7 +84,11 @@ struct luo_ser {
>>  	u64 liveupdate_num;
>>  	u64 sessions_pa;
>>  	u64 flbs_pa;
>> -} __packed;
>> +};
>> +
>> +static_assert(sizeof(struct luo_ser) == 32);
>> +static_assert(!IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_64BIT) ||
>> +	      __alignof__(struct luo_ser) == 8);
>
> Please remove the two assertions above throughout this patch, as they 
> are replaced later in the series. In general, introducing add -> remove 
> -> add churn across a patch series is discouraged, as it indicates a 
> lack of planning.

Got it. Will remove it.

~Tarun

>
>>  
>>  #define LIVEUPDATE_HNDL_COMPAT_LENGTH	48
>>  
>> @@ -98,7 +104,11 @@ struct luo_file_ser {
>>  	char compatible[LIVEUPDATE_HNDL_COMPAT_LENGTH];
>>  	u64 data;
>>  	u64 token;
>> -} __packed;
>> +};
>> +
>> +static_assert(sizeof(struct luo_file_ser) == 64);
>> +static_assert(!IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_64BIT) ||
>> +	      __alignof__(struct luo_file_ser) == 8);
>>  
>>  /**
>>   * struct luo_file_set_ser - Represents the serialized metadata for file set
>> @@ -113,7 +123,11 @@ struct luo_file_ser {
>>  struct luo_file_set_ser {
>>  	u64 files;
>>  	u64 count;
>> -} __packed;
>> +};
>> +
>> +static_assert(sizeof(struct luo_file_set_ser) == 16);
>> +static_assert(!IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_64BIT) ||
>> +	      __alignof__(struct luo_file_set_ser) == 8);
>>  
>>  /**
>>   * struct luo_session_ser - Represents the serialized metadata for a LUO session.
>> @@ -131,7 +145,11 @@ struct luo_file_set_ser {
>>  struct luo_session_ser {
>>  	char name[LIVEUPDATE_SESSION_NAME_LENGTH];
>>  	struct luo_file_set_ser file_set_ser;
>> -} __packed;
>> +};
>> +
>> +static_assert(sizeof(struct luo_session_ser) == 80);
>> +static_assert(!IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_64BIT) ||
>> +	      __alignof__(struct luo_session_ser) == 8);
>>  
>>  /* The max size is set so it can be reliably used during in serialization */
>>  #define LIVEUPDATE_FLB_COMPAT_LENGTH	48
>> @@ -152,7 +170,11 @@ struct luo_session_ser {
>>  struct luo_flb_header_ser {
>>  	u64 pgcnt;
>>  	u64 count;
>> -} __packed;
>> +};
>> +
>> +static_assert(sizeof(struct luo_flb_header_ser) == 16);
>> +static_assert(!IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_64BIT) ||
>> +	      __alignof__(struct luo_flb_header_ser) == 8);
>>  
>>  /**
>>   * struct luo_flb_ser - Represents the serialized state of a single FLB object.
>> @@ -175,7 +197,11 @@ struct luo_flb_ser {
>>  	char name[LIVEUPDATE_FLB_COMPAT_LENGTH];
>>  	u64 data;
>>  	u64 count;
>> -} __packed;
>> +};
>> +
>> +static_assert(sizeof(struct luo_flb_ser) == 64);
>> +static_assert(!IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_64BIT) ||
>> +	      __alignof__(struct luo_flb_ser) == 8);
>>  
>>  /* Kernel Live Update Test ABI */
>>  #ifdef CONFIG_LIVEUPDATE_TEST
>> diff --git a/include/linux/kho/abi/memfd.h b/include/linux/kho/abi/memfd.h
>> index 08b10fea2afc..376a724a1d8c 100644
>> --- a/include/linux/kho/abi/memfd.h
>> +++ b/include/linux/kho/abi/memfd.h
>> @@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
>>  #ifndef _LINUX_KHO_ABI_MEMFD_H
>>  #define _LINUX_KHO_ABI_MEMFD_H
>>  
>> +#include <linux/build_bug.h>
>> +#include <linux/kconfig.h>
>>  #include <linux/types.h>
>>  #include <linux/kho/abi/kexec_handover.h>
>>  
>> @@ -20,7 +22,7 @@
>>   * memfd uses the ABI defined below for preserving its state across a kexec
>>   * reboot using the LUO.
>>   *
>> - * The state is serialized into a packed structure `struct memfd_luo_ser`
>> + * The state is serialized into `struct memfd_luo_ser`
>>   * which is handed over to the next kernel via the KHO mechanism.
>>   *
>>   * This interface is a contract. Any modification to the structure layout
>> @@ -54,7 +56,11 @@ struct memfd_luo_folio_ser {
>>  	u64 pfn:52;
>>  	u64 flags:12;
>>  	u64 index;
>> -} __packed;
>> +};
>> +
>> +static_assert(sizeof(struct memfd_luo_folio_ser) == 16);
>> +static_assert(!IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_64BIT) ||
>> +	      __alignof__(struct memfd_luo_folio_ser) == 8);
>>  
>>  /*
>>   * The set of seals this version supports preserving. If support for any new
>> @@ -85,7 +91,11 @@ struct memfd_luo_ser {
>>  	u32 flags;
>>  	u64 nr_folios;
>>  	struct kho_vmalloc folios;
>> -} __packed;
>> +};
>> +
>> +static_assert(sizeof(struct memfd_luo_ser) == 48);
>> +static_assert(!IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_64BIT) ||
>> +	      __alignof__(struct memfd_luo_ser) == 8);
>>  
>>  /* The compatibility string for memfd file handler */
>>  #define MEMFD_LUO_FH_COMPATIBLE	"memfd-v2"
>
> -- 
> Pasha