Subj : Re: vmlinux internals
To   : comp.os.linux.development.system,comp.os.linux
From : Kasper Dupont
Date : Thu Jul 15 2004 10:53 pm

mohan wrote:
> 
> I have a few questions about the internals of the vmlinux binary
> created during
> a kernel build. AFAIS this is the elf executable file from which the
> binary image of the kernel is derived.
> 
> Upon disassembling the file for inspection I noticed that the start
> address in the
> elf header points to the "rest_init" function.  I would have expected
> it to point to the "start_kernel" function. Could someone explain why
> this is so .... shouldn't start_kernel the first function to be
> executed in the kernel.

No start_kernel is not the first function to be called.
It is the first architecture independent function.
Before that some architecture dependent code is needed.
You will see start_kernel being called from assembler
code in the arch subdirectory.

-- 
Kasper Dupont -- der bruger for meget tid paa usenet.
I'd rather be a hammer than a nail.

.