efi_relocate_kernel(9)

💖 NAME 💖

okay so this is the efi_relocate_kernel(9) page from the Kernel API Manual, and the name section is literally efi_relocate_kernel — copy memory area. that’s the whole name, bestie, no extra lore 🫶

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

efi_status_t efi_relocate_kernel (unsigned long *image_addr , unsigned
long image_size , unsigned long alloc_size , unsigned long
preferred_addr , unsigned long alignment , unsigned long min_addr );

🎀 ARGUMENTS 🎀

• image_addr — pointer to the address of the memory area to copy. yes, a pointer-to-address situation, stay with me 💅
• image_size — size of the memory area to copy.
• alloc_size — minimum size of memory to allocate. it must be greater or equal to image_size — this is a hard requirement, not a suggestion 👑
• preferred_addr — the preferred target address.
• alignment — minimum alignment of the allocated memory area. it should be a power of two.
• min_addr — minimum target address.

🌸 DESCRIPTION 🌸

So what it does: copy a memory area to a newly allocated memory area that’s aligned according to alignment, but at least EFI_ALLOC_ALIGN — yes, EFI_ALLOC_ALIGN is the floor, bestie. If the preferred address is not available, the allocated address will not be below min_addr. On exit, image_addr is updated to the target copy address that was used. literally it hands you the new address through that pointer 💖

This function is used to copy the Linux kernel verbatim. It does not apply any relocation changes. read that again: verbatim, no relocation changes, periodt. no cap, don’t expect it to fix up addresses for you 🔥

🦋 RETURN 🦋

status code — yep, that’s the return: a status code. short and iconic, ngl 😌

🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

• Kernel file ./drivers/firmware/efi/libstub/loongarch-stub.c — go peek if you want the source-side vibe 👀

okay that’s the whole page, bestie 💜 this one’s sourced from ./drivers/firmware/efi/libstub and dated October 2026. mwah, go copy some memory responsibly 💋✨