vdo_start_loading(9)

💅 vdo_start_loading(9) — like, the Kernel API Manual page, bestie

Okay so real talk: this is vdo_start_loading(9) from the Kernel API Manual, and it's genuinely one of those little functions that decides whether a whole load operation gets to happen. Let's get into it ✨

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🌸 NAME 🌸

vdo_start_loading — initiate a load operation if the current state permits it. That "if" is doing a lot of work, okay? State said no, the load says no. Periodt.

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🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

bool vdo_start_loading (struct admin_state *state , const struct
admin_state_code *operation , struct vdo_completion *waiter ,
vdo_admin_initiator_fn initiator );

Look at that signature. Four arguments, returns a bool. Clean, iconic, no notes 💅

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🦋 ARGUMENTS 🦋

• state — the current admin state. This is the vibe check right here; the whole question of whether the load can start comes down to what's in here.
• operation — the type of load you're trying to initiate. Gotta be specific, bestie, it's a const struct admin_state_code *.
• waiter — the completion to notify when the load is done, and yes it may be NULL. No waiter, no notification, no drama.
• initiator — the vdo_admin_initiator_fn to call if the operation may begin. Also may be NULL, so like, optional but make it make sense.

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⭐ RETURN ⭐

Returns true if the load was initiated 🎉 If it wasn't, the waiter gets notified instead — so either way somebody's getting a callback, fr fr.

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🔥 SEE ALSO 🔥

Everything lives in the kernel file ./drivers/md/dm-vdo/admin-state.c, and honestly the whole friend group is here:

• get_next_state(9)
• vdo_finish_operation(9)
• begin_operation(9)
• start_operation(9)
• check_code(9)
• assert_vdo_drain_operation(9)
• vdo_start_draining(9)
• vdo_finish_draining(9)
• vdo_finish_draining_with_result(9)
• vdo_assert_load_operation(9)
• vdo_finish_loading(9)
• vdo_finish_loading_with_result(9)
• assert_vdo_resume_operation(9)
• vdo_start_resuming(9)
• vdo_finish_resuming(9)
• vdo_finish_resuming_with_result(9)
• vdo_resume_if_quiescent(9)
• vdo_start_operation(9)
• vdo_start_operation_with_waiter(9)

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Go read the whole crew in admin-state.c if you wanna understand the state machine arc. It's giving main character energy, ngl 🫶

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And that's the page, babe 💖 Signing off from ./drivers/md/dm-vdo, dated October 2026 — see you in the next vdo_start_loading(9) cameo, mwah 🎀✨