How the ARM32 Linux kernel decompresses #ARM #Embedded
ARM traditionally uses compressed kernels. This is done for two major reasons:
It saves space on the flash memory or other storage media holding the kernel, and memory is money. For example for the Gemini platform that I work on, the vmlinux uncompressed kernel is 11.8 MB while the compressed zImage is a mere 4.8 MB, we save more than 50%
It is faster to load because the time it takes for the decompression to run is shorter than the time that it takes to transfer an uncompressed image from the storage media, such as flash. For NAND flash controllers this can easily be the case.
linusw at kernel.org provides a comprehensive rundown of how the Linux kernel self-decompresses on ARM 32-bit legacy systems. All machines under arch/arm/* uses this method if they are booted using a compressed kernel, and most of them are using compressed kernels.
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