[RFC PATCH 04/46] x86/mm/ident_map: Add force_pte to support 4K PTE identity mappings

From: Pasha Tatashin

Date: Sun Sep 20 2026 - 15:37:46 EST


Extend kernel_ident_mapping_init() with ident_pte_init() and a force_pte
flag in struct x86_mapping_info so callers can request 4K PTE leaf
mappings instead of 2M PMD or 1G PUD leaves.

Signed-off-by: Pasha Tatashin <pasha.tatashin@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
arch/x86/include/asm/init.h | 3 +-
arch/x86/mm/ident_map.c | 72 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-----
2 files changed, 65 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-)

diff --git a/arch/x86/include/asm/init.h b/arch/x86/include/asm/init.h
index 01ccdd168df0..d9caed494e7d 100644
--- a/arch/x86/include/asm/init.h
+++ b/arch/x86/include/asm/init.h
@@ -6,10 +6,11 @@ struct x86_mapping_info {
void *(*alloc_pgt_page)(void *); /* allocate buf for page table */
void (*free_pgt_page)(void *, void *); /* free buf for page table */
void *context; /* context for alloc_pgt_page */
- unsigned long page_flag; /* page flag for PMD or PUD entry */
+ unsigned long page_flag; /* page flag for PTE, PMD or PUD entry */
unsigned long offset; /* ident mapping offset */
bool direct_gbpages; /* PUD level 1GB page support */
unsigned long kernpg_flag; /* kernel pagetable flag override */
+ bool force_pte; /* force 4K PTE mappings */
};

int kernel_ident_mapping_init(struct x86_mapping_info *info, pgd_t *pgd_page,
diff --git a/arch/x86/mm/ident_map.c b/arch/x86/mm/ident_map.c
index 5a15bffe6574..83013513ba94 100644
--- a/arch/x86/mm/ident_map.c
+++ b/arch/x86/mm/ident_map.c
@@ -77,24 +77,73 @@ void kernel_ident_mapping_free(struct x86_mapping_info *info, pgd_t *pgd)
info->free_pgt_page(pgd, info->context);
}

-static void ident_pmd_init(struct x86_mapping_info *info, pmd_t *pmd_page,
- unsigned long addr, unsigned long end)
+static int ident_pte_init(struct x86_mapping_info *info, pte_t *pte_page,
+ unsigned long addr, unsigned long end)
{
- addr &= PMD_MASK;
- for (; addr < end; addr += PMD_SIZE) {
+ addr &= PAGE_MASK;
+ for (; addr < end; addr += PAGE_SIZE) {
+ pte_t *pte = pte_page + pte_index(addr);
+
+ if (pte_present(*pte))
+ continue;
+
+ set_pte(pte, __pte(((addr - info->offset) | info->page_flag) & ~_PAGE_PSE));
+ }
+
+ return 0;
+}
+
+static int ident_pmd_init(struct x86_mapping_info *info, pmd_t *pmd_page,
+ unsigned long addr, unsigned long end)
+{
+ unsigned long next;
+ int result;
+
+ for (; addr < end; addr = next) {
pmd_t *pmd = pmd_page + pmd_index(addr);
+ pte_t *pte;

- if (pmd_present(*pmd))
+ next = pmd_addr_end(addr, end);
+
+ if (!info->force_pte) {
+ if (pmd_present(*pmd))
+ continue;
+
+ set_pmd(pmd, __pmd(((addr & PMD_MASK) - info->offset) | info->page_flag));
continue;
+ }

- set_pmd(pmd, __pmd((addr - info->offset) | info->page_flag));
+ /* if this is already a 2MB page, this portion is already mapped */
+ if (pmd_leaf(*pmd))
+ continue;
+
+ if (pmd_present(*pmd)) {
+ pte = pte_offset_kernel(pmd, 0);
+ result = ident_pte_init(info, pte, addr, next);
+ if (result)
+ return result;
+ continue;
+ }
+
+ pte = (pte_t *)info->alloc_pgt_page(info->context);
+ if (!pte)
+ return -ENOMEM;
+
+ result = ident_pte_init(info, pte, addr, next);
+ if (result)
+ return result;
+
+ set_pmd(pmd, __pmd(__pa(pte) | info->kernpg_flag));
}
+
+ return 0;
}

static int ident_pud_init(struct x86_mapping_info *info, pud_t *pud_page,
unsigned long addr, unsigned long end)
{
unsigned long next;
+ int result;

for (; addr < end; addr = next) {
pud_t *pud = pud_page + pud_index(addr);
@@ -108,7 +157,7 @@ static int ident_pud_init(struct x86_mapping_info *info, pud_t *pud_page,
continue;

/* Is using a gbpage allowed? */
- use_gbpage = info->direct_gbpages;
+ use_gbpage = info->direct_gbpages && !info->force_pte;

/* Don't use gbpage if it maps more than the requested region. */
/* at the beginning: */
@@ -129,13 +178,17 @@ static int ident_pud_init(struct x86_mapping_info *info, pud_t *pud_page,

if (pud_present(*pud)) {
pmd = pmd_offset(pud, 0);
- ident_pmd_init(info, pmd, addr, next);
+ result = ident_pmd_init(info, pmd, addr, next);
+ if (result)
+ return result;
continue;
}
pmd = (pmd_t *)info->alloc_pgt_page(info->context);
if (!pmd)
return -ENOMEM;
- ident_pmd_init(info, pmd, addr, next);
+ result = ident_pmd_init(info, pmd, addr, next);
+ if (result)
+ return result;
set_pud(pud, __pud(__pa(pmd) | info->kernpg_flag));
}

@@ -189,6 +242,7 @@ int kernel_ident_mapping_init(struct x86_mapping_info *info, pgd_t *pgd_page,

/* Filter out unsupported __PAGE_KERNEL_* bits: */
info->kernpg_flag &= __default_kernel_pte_mask;
+ info->page_flag &= __default_kernel_pte_mask;

for (; addr < end; addr = next) {
pgd_t *pgd = pgd_page + pgd_index(addr);
--
2.55.0.1082.g2b9226bbc0-goog