linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH] x86: remove orphan header file e820.h

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Message-ID: <aAeH969fgOx6R6rw@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2025 14:13:43 +0200
From: Ingo Molnar <mingo@...nel.org>
To: duchangbin <changbin.du@...wei.com>
Cc: Thomas Gleixner <tglx@...utronix.de>, Ingo Molnar <mingo@...hat.com>,
	Borislav Petkov <bp@...en8.de>,
	Dave Hansen <dave.hansen@...ux.intel.com>,
	"x86@...nel.org" <x86@...nel.org>, "H. Peter Anvin" <hpa@...or.com>,
	"linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org" <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>
Subject: Re: [PATCH] x86: remove orphan header file e820.h


* duchangbin <changbin.du@...wei.com> wrote:

> Hi, Ingo,
> On Tue, Apr 22, 2025 at 08:56:49AM +0200, Ingo Molnar wrote:
> > 
> > * Changbin Du <changbin.du@...wei.com> wrote:
> > 
> > > The header arch/x86/include/uapi/asm/e820.h isn't used by any source file any
> > > more. The e820 related items are defined in arch/x86/include/asm/e820/types.h.
> > > So clean it up.
> > > 
> > > Signed-off-by: Changbin Du <changbin.du@...wei.com>
> > > ---
> > >  arch/x86/include/uapi/asm/e820.h | 82 --------------------------------
> > >  1 file changed, 82 deletions(-)
> > >  delete mode 100644 arch/x86/include/uapi/asm/e820.h
> > 
> > This is part of the specification of the bootloader protocol between 
> > bootloaders and the Linux kernel and thus should not be removed.
> > 
> > The kernel has its internal types that adhere to the same 
> > specification, but that's not grounds to remove this header.
> >
>
> Regarding the e820 definitions used in the boot protocol, the main 
> components involved are 'struct boot_params::e820_table' and the 
> SETUP_E820_EXT node. Both of these utilize the 'struct 
> boot_e820_entry' defined in arch/x86/include/uapi/asm/setup_data.h, 
> which is also part of the UAPI.

True.

> The header arch/x86/include/uapi/asm/e820.h is not referenced by boot 
> protocol definitions. In this scenario, can the header file 
> arch/x86/include/uapi/asm/e820.h be safely removed?

Probably/possibly ...

Thanks,

	Ingo