cvs commit: src/sys/i386/i386 pmap.c

[Suleiman Souhlal]

Nate Lawson wrote:
> Peter Wemm wrote:
> 
>> Stephan realized that the kernel already allocates one PTE per virtual 
>> page.  Although it normally holds physical addresses plus attributes, 
>> as long as we don't set PG_V, then there are 31 other bits that we 
>> could use for data storage.  We could put virtual addresses in there 
>> so long as we didn't set PG_V, and abuse that to have a singly linked 
>> freelist threaded through the PTEs.  It turned out even easier 
>> though.  As long as the virtual addresses are page aligned, we neatly 
>> avoid all the PG_* mode bits as well. 
> 
> 
> ... because you can shift by the page size, saving 12 bits.  But are 
> there any problems with 2 MB pages?

It should work fine with 2/4MB pages too. Just like PTEs, when a PDE 
(the 2/4MB entry) is marked as not present, all the bits but the zeroth 
one are available for use to the operating system.

-- Suleiman