STRUCT KEXEC_BUF(9)

💖 struct kexec_buf(9) 💖

okay so this is a page from the Kernel API Manual — yes, the kernel, and yes, it's exactly as iconic as it sounds. bestie, we're talking about struct kexec_buf, and it's genuinely just a little vibe-check struct for finding a place for a buffer in memory 🎀

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✨ NAME ✨

struct kexec_buf — literally the parameters for finding a place for a buffer in memory. that's the whole job. slay 💅

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🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

struct kexec_buf {
    struct kimage *image;
    void *buffer;
    unsigned long bufsz;
    unsigned long mem;
    unsigned long memsz;
    unsigned long buf_align;
    unsigned long buf_min;
    unsigned long buf_max;
    struct page *cma;
    bool top_down;
  #ifdef CONFIG_CRASH_DUMP;
    bool random;
  #endif;
 };

no cap, that's the whole struct. look at her go 🦋

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🧚 Members 🧚

okay so let's go field by field, because every single one of these matters and i would never skip one 🙈

• image — the kexec image in which memory to search. like, which sandbox are we playing in, yk?
• buffer — the contents which will be copied to the allocated memory. the actual stuff. the main character 💖
• bufsz — size of buffer. self-explanatory, she's not complicated.
• mem — on return will have address of the buffer in memory. so it goes in empty and comes out with the answer — that's the character arc 🔥
• memsz — size for the buffer in memory.
• buf_align — minimum alignment needed. she has standards ✨
• buf_min — the buffer can't be placed below this address. hard floor, periodt.
• buf_max — the buffer can't be placed above this address. hard ceiling, no ceiling jokes pls.
• cma — CMA page if the buffer is backed by CMA.
• top_down — allocate from top of memory. top-down girlie energy 👑
• random — place the buffer at a random position. chaos. love that for her 🌈

lowkey important: that random field is wrapped in #ifdef CONFIG_CRASH_DUMP; — so she's only in the struct when that config is on. iykyk 💀

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🫶 SEE ALSO 🫶

• Kernel file ./include/linux/kexec.h
• arch_kexec_locate_mem_hole(9)

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and that's the whole page, bestie, ate and left no crumbs 🍓💜

mwah 💋 — this lil number lives in ./include/linux and is dated October 2026, so mark your calendars fr fr ⭐