STRUCT OS_AREA_HEADER(9)

📦 version 7.3.1, in nixpkgs unstable

💖 struct os_area_header(9) 💖

okay so bestie, welcome to the Kernel API Manual page for struct os_area_header — yes it's PS3 kernel stuff, yes it's niche, yes it's iconic. strap in 🎀

✨ NAME ✨

struct os_area_header — the os area header segment, aka the little glow-up header that sits at the top of the os area. that's it, that's the whole vibe 🦋

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

struct os_area_header {
    u8 magic_num[16];
    u32 hdr_version;
    u32 db_area_offset;
    u32 ldr_area_offset;
    u32 _reserved_1;
    u32 ldr_format;
    u32 ldr_size;
    u32 _reserved_2[6];
 };

look at her. a whole struct. she's got range 💅

🫶 Members 🫶

  • magic_num — literally always 'cell_ext_os_area'. no cap. that's the magic, that's the fingerprint, that's her whole identity ✨
  • hdr_version — the header format version number. the version of the header format. iyk how that goes.
  • db_area_offset — starting segment number of the other os database area. the other one 👀
  • ldr_area_offset — starting segment number of the bootloader image area. the bootloader lives here, respect her space 🏠
  • ldr_format — the HEADER_LDR_FORMAT flag. a flag. that's the whole field. slay.
  • ldr_size — size of the bootloader image, in bytes 📏

🌈 Description 🌈

okay so real talk — the docs refer to area offsets. what does that even mean? bestie, it means offsets in units of segments from the start of the os area. and where does the os area start? at the top of the header, duh 🎯

honestly they're better thought of as segment numbers. like, don't overthink the whole "offset" thing, just call them segment numbers and move on ✨

also! the os area of the os area is reserved for the os image. yes that sentence is real. the os area. of the os area. reserved for the os image. the recursion of it all 😭 it's giving "inception" but make it firmware. keep that space for the os image and don't touch it, periodt 💀

🔥 SEE ALSO 🔥

Kernel file ./arch/powerpc/platforms/ps3/os-area.c struct

like, that's the whole friend group fr fr, go read all of them 🫶

ok and one last thing before you go — this page is living in ./arch/powerpc/platforms/ps3 and it's dated October 2026. it's a struct os_area_header(9) kind of day, every day. mwah. 💖🎀✨
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