BIOS Memory reserved

[SofiaSilvestri]

I have to configure a HPE Proliant DL580 Gen 10 that shall mount 3 custom PCI device that use DMA32 addresses for interface with operanting system (GNU/Linux OpenSuse 15.5). 

The problem is that every board need at least 800 MB of RAM in the DMA32 address space, and the amount of available memory in the DMA32 zone is less than 1.8 GB.

The dmesg output show that this amount is communicated by the BIOS (I attach the output)

[    0.000000] BIOS-provided physical RAM map:
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x0000000000000000-0x000000000008dfff] usable
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x000000000008e000-0x000000000008ffff] reserved
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x0000000000090000-0x000000000009ffff] usable
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x00000000000f0000-0x00000000000fffff] reserved
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x0000000000100000-0x000000004097dfff] usable
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x000000004097e000-0x000000004097efff] reserved
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x000000004097f000-0x00000000409e0fff] usable
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x00000000409e1000-0x00000000409e6fff] reserved
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x00000000409e7000-0x00000000409fcfff] usable
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x00000000409fd000-0x0000000040a02fff] reserved
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x0000000040a03000-0x000000004bbdafff] usable
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x000000004bbdb000-0x000000004bd07fff] reserved
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x000000004bd08000-0x000000004bd0bfff] usable
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x000000004bd0c000-0x000000004cd0bfff] reserved
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x000000004cd0c000-0x000000004cd0efff] usable
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x000000004cd0f000-0x000000004cd20fff] reserved
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x000000004cd21000-0x000000004cd24fff] usable
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x000000004cd25000-0x000000004df55fff] reserved
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x000000004df56000-0x0000000057755fff] usable
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x0000000057756000-0x0000000058455fff] reserved
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x0000000058456000-0x0000000058b95fff] ACPI NVS
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x0000000058b96000-0x0000000058b96fff] reserved
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x0000000058b97000-0x000000005a855fff] ACPI NVS
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x000000005a856000-0x000000005aa55fff] ACPI data
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x000000005aa56000-0x000000005aa57fff] usable
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x000000005aa58000-0x000000005aad8fff] reserved
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x000000005aad9000-0x000000006f7fffff] usable
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x000000006f800000-0x000000008fffffff] reserved
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x00000000fe000000-0x00000000fe00ffff] reserved
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x0000000100000000-0x000000107fffefff] usable
[    0.000000] BIOS-e820: [mem 0x000000107ffff000-0x000000107fffffff] reserved

Looking in /proc/iomem looks like a large amount of memory is keeped for PCI connection, but a lot of them are not used so I have "precious RAM" I cannot use (see the output below)

00000000-00000fff : Reserved
00001000-0008dfff : System RAM
0008e000-0008ffff : Reserved
00090000-0009ffff : System RAM
000a0000-000bffff : PCI Bus 0000:00
000c4000-000cbfff : PCI Bus 0000:00
000f0000-000fffff : Reserved
  000f0000-000fffff : System ROM
00100000-40890fff : System RAM
40891000-408c1fff : Reserved
408c2000-4097dfff : System RAM
4097e000-4097efff : Reserved
4097f000-409e0fff : System RAM
409e1000-409e6fff : Reserved
409e7000-409fcfff : System RAM
409fd000-40a02fff : Reserved
40a03000-4bbdafff : System RAM
4bbdb000-4bd07fff : Reserved
4bd08000-4bd0bfff : System RAM
4bd0c000-4cd0bfff : Reserved
4cd0c000-4cd0efff : System RAM
4cd0f000-4cd20fff : Reserved
4cd21000-4cd24fff : System RAM
4cd25000-4df55fff : Reserved
4df56000-55fda017 : System RAM
55fda018-56014e57 : System RAM
56014e58-56015017 : System RAM
56015018-5604fe57 : System RAM
5604fe58-56050017 : System RAM
56050018-561fb857 : System RAM
561fb858-561fc017 : System RAM
561fc018-56207257 : System RAM
56207258-56208017 : System RAM
56208018-56210057 : System RAM
56210058-56211017 : System RAM
56211018-56216457 : System RAM
56216458-57755fff : System RAM
57756000-58455fff : Reserved
  583ac004-583ac037 : APEI ERST
  583ad000-583bcfff : APEI ERST
58456000-58b95fff : ACPI Non-volatile Storage
58b96000-58b96fff : Reserved
58b97000-5a855fff : ACPI Non-volatile Storage
5a856000-5aa55fff : ACPI Tables
5aa56000-5aa57fff : System RAM
5aa58000-5aad8fff : Reserved
5aad9000-6f7fffff : System RAM
6f800000-8fffffff : Reserved
  80000000-8fffffff : PCI MMCONFIG 0000 [bus 00-ff]
90000000-9a3fffff : PCI Bus 0000:00
  90000000-99bfffff : PCI Bus 0000:01
    90000000-9000ffff : 0000:01:00.2
    94000000-97ffffff : 0000:01:00.0
    98000000-98ffffff : 0000:01:00.1
      98000000-98ffffff : mgadrmfb_vram
    99000000-997fffff : 0000:01:00.1
    99800000-999fffff : 0000:01:00.0
    99a00000-99afffff : 0000:01:00.2
      99a00000-99afffff : hpilo
    99b00000-99b7ffff : 0000:01:00.2
      99b00000-99b7ffff : hpilo
    99b80000-99b8ffff : 0000:01:00.2
      99b80000-99b8ffff : hpilo
    99b90000-99b97fff : 0000:01:00.2
      99b90000-99b97fff : hpilo
    99b98000-99b9bfff : 0000:01:00.1
      99b98000-99b9bfff : mgadrmfb_mmio
    99b9c000-99b9c0ff : 0000:01:00.4
      99b9c000-99b9c0ff : ehci_hcd
    99b9d000-99b9d0ff : 0000:01:00.2
      99b9d000-99b9d0ff : hpilo
    99b9e000-99b9e3ff : 0000:01:00.0
  99d00000-99d7ffff : 0000:00:11.5
    99d00000-99d7ffff : ahci
  99d80000-99d8ffff : 0000:00:14.0
    99d80000-99d8ffff : xhci-hcd
  99d90000-99d93fff : 0000:00:1f.2
  99d94000-99d95fff : 0000:00:11.5
    99d94000-99d95fff : ahci
  99d96000-99d960ff : 0000:00:11.5
    99d96000-99d960ff : ahci
  99d97000-99d97fff : 0000:00:05.4
9a400000-9abfffff : PCI Bus 0000:10
  9a400000-9a4fffff : PCI Bus 0000:11
    9a400000-9a407fff : 0000:11:00.0
      9a400000-9a407fff : smartpqi
  9a500000-9a500fff : 0000:10:05.4
9ac00000-bb3fffff : PCI Bus 0000:1e
  a0000000-b00fffff : PCI Bus 0000:1f
    a0000000-afffffff : 0000:1f:00.0
    b0000000-b00001ff : 0000:1f:00.0
    b0001000-b00010ff : 0000:1f:00.0
  b0100000-b0100fff : 0000:1e:05.4
bb400000-bbbfffff : PCI Bus 0000:2c
  bb400000-bb6fffff : PCI Bus 0000:2e
    bb400000-bb4fffff : 0000:2e:00.1
      bb400000-bb4fffff : bnxt_en
    bb500000-bb5fffff : 0000:2e:00.0
      bb500000-bb5fffff : bnxt_en
    bb600000-bb60ffff : 0000:2e:00.1
      bb600000-bb60ffff : bnxt_en
    bb610000-bb61ffff : 0000:2e:00.0
      bb610000-bb61ffff : bnxt_en
    bb620000-bb621fff : 0000:2e:00.1
      bb620000-bb621fff : bnxt_en
    bb622000-bb623fff : 0000:2e:00.0
      bb622000-bb623fff : bnxt_en
  bb700000-bb700fff : 0000:2c:05.4
  bb800000-bb8fffff : PCI Bus 0000:2e
    bb800000-bb83ffff : 0000:2e:00.0
    bb840000-bb87ffff : 0000:2e:00.1
bbc00000-bc3fffff : PCI Bus 0000:40
  bbc00000-bbc00fff : 0000:40:05.4
bc400000-bcbfffff : PCI Bus 0000:44
  bc400000-bc400fff : 0000:44:05.4
bcc00000-bd3fffff : PCI Bus 0000:4d
  bcc00000-bcc00fff : 0000:4d:05.4
bd400000-bdbfffff : PCI Bus 0000:56
  bd400000-bd4fffff : PCI Bus 0000:57
    bd400000-bd4fffff : PCI Bus 0000:58
      bd400000-bd4001ff : 0000:58:00.0
      bd401000-bd4010ff : 0000:58:00.0
  bd500000-bd500fff : 0000:56:05.4
bdc00000-be3fffff : PCI Bus 0000:80
  bdc00000-bdc00fff : 0000:80:05.4
be400000-bebfffff : PCI Bus 0000:84
  be400000-be400fff : 0000:84:05.4
bec00000-bf3fffff : PCI Bus 0000:8d
  bec00000-bec00fff : 0000:8d:05.4
bf400000-bfbfffff : PCI Bus 0000:96
  bf400000-bf4fffff : PCI Bus 0000:97
    bf400000-bf403fff : 0000:97:00.0
      bf400000-bf403fff : edrx region 0
  bf500000-bf500fff : 0000:96:05.4
bfc00000-c03fffff : PCI Bus 0000:c0
  bfc00000-bfc00fff : 0000:c0:05.4
c0400000-c0bfffff : PCI Bus 0000:c4
  c0400000-c0400fff : 0000:c4:05.4
c0c00000-c13fffff : PCI Bus 0000:cd
  c0c00000-c0cfffff : PCI Bus 0000:ce
    c0c00000-c0c03fff : 0000:ce:00.0
      c0c00000-c0c03fff : edrx region 0
  c0d00000-c0d00fff : 0000:cd:05.4
c1400000-fbffffff : PCI Bus 0000:db
  c1400000-c14fffff : PCI Bus 0000:dc
    c1400000-c1403fff : 0000:dc:00.0
  c1500000-c1500fff : 0000:db:05.4
fe000000-fe00ffff : Reserved
fec00000-fecfffff : PNP0003:00
  fec00000-fec003ff : IOAPIC 0
  fec01000-fec013ff : IOAPIC 1
  fec08000-fec083ff : IOAPIC 2
  fec10000-fec103ff : IOAPIC 3
  fec18000-fec183ff : IOAPIC 4
  fec20000-fec203ff : IOAPIC 5
  fec28000-fec283ff : IOAPIC 6
  fec30000-fec303ff : IOAPIC 7
  fec38000-fec383ff : IOAPIC 8
  fec40000-fec403ff : IOAPIC 9
  fec48000-fec483ff : IOAPIC 10
  fec50000-fec503ff : IOAPIC 11
  fec58000-fec583ff : IOAPIC 12
  fec60000-fec603ff : IOAPIC 13
  fec68000-fec683ff : IOAPIC 14
  fec70000-fec703ff : IOAPIC 15
  fec78000-fec783ff : IOAPIC 16
fed00000-fed003ff : HPET 0
  fed00000-fed003ff : PNP0103:00
fed12000-fed1200f : pnp 00:01
fed12010-fed1201f : pnp 00:01
fed1b000-fed1bfff : pnp 00:01
fed1c000-fed3ffff : pnp 00:01
fed45000-fed8bfff : pnp 00:01
fee00000-feefffff : pnp 00:01
  fee00000-fee00fff : Local APIC
ff000000-ffffffff : pnp 00:01
100000000-107fffefff : System RAM
  a6a200000-a6b002207 : Kernel code
  a6b200000-a6bb1bfff : Kernel rodata
  a6bc00000-a6bf560ff : Kernel data
  a6c639000-a6cbfffff : Kernel bss
107ffff000-107fffffff : Reserved
c0000000000-c3fffffffff : PCI Bus 0000:00
  c3ffff00000-c3ffff03fff : 0000:00:04.7
    c3ffff00000-c3ffff03fff : ioatdma
  c3ffff04000-c3ffff07fff : 0000:00:04.6
    c3ffff04000-c3ffff07fff : ioatdma
  c3ffff08000-c3ffff0bfff : 0000:00:04.5
    c3ffff08000-c3ffff0bfff : ioatdma
  c3ffff0c000-c3ffff0ffff : 0000:00:04.4
    c3ffff0c000-c3ffff0ffff : ioatdma
  c3ffff10000-c3ffff13fff : 0000:00:04.3
    c3ffff10000-c3ffff13fff : ioatdma
  c3ffff14000-c3ffff17fff : 0000:00:04.2
    c3ffff14000-c3ffff17fff : ioatdma
  c3ffff18000-c3ffff1bfff : 0000:00:04.1
    c3ffff18000-c3ffff1bfff : ioatdma
  c3ffff1c000-c3ffff1ffff : 0000:00:04.0
    c3ffff1c000-c3ffff1ffff : ioatdma
  c3ffff21000-c3ffff21fff : 0000:00:16.4
  c3ffff22000-c3ffff22fff : 0000:00:16.0
  c3ffff23000-c3ffff23fff : 0000:00:14.2
    c3ffff23000-c3ffff23fff : Intel PCH thermal driver
c4000000000-c7fffffffff : PCI Bus 0000:10
c8000000000-cbfffffffff : PCI Bus 0000:1e
cc000000000-cffffffffff : PCI Bus 0000:2c
d0000000000-d3fffffffff : PCI Bus 0000:40
  d3ffff00000-d3ffff03fff : 0000:40:04.7
    d3ffff00000-d3ffff03fff : ioatdma
  d3ffff04000-d3ffff07fff : 0000:40:04.6
    d3ffff04000-d3ffff07fff : ioatdma
  d3ffff08000-d3ffff0bfff : 0000:40:04.5
    d3ffff08000-d3ffff0bfff : ioatdma
  d3ffff0c000-d3ffff0ffff : 0000:40:04.4
    d3ffff0c000-d3ffff0ffff : ioatdma
  d3ffff10000-d3ffff13fff : 0000:40:04.3
    d3ffff10000-d3ffff13fff : ioatdma
  d3ffff14000-d3ffff17fff : 0000:40:04.2
    d3ffff14000-d3ffff17fff : ioatdma
  d3ffff18000-d3ffff1bfff : 0000:40:04.1
    d3ffff18000-d3ffff1bfff : ioatdma
  d3ffff1c000-d3ffff1ffff : 0000:40:04.0
    d3ffff1c000-d3ffff1ffff : ioatdma
d4000000000-d7fffffffff : PCI Bus 0000:44
d8000000000-dbfffffffff : PCI Bus 0000:4d
dc000000000-dffffffffff : PCI Bus 0000:56
e0000000000-e3fffffffff : PCI Bus 0000:80
  e3ffff00000-e3ffff03fff : 0000:80:04.7
    e3ffff00000-e3ffff03fff : ioatdma
  e3ffff04000-e3ffff07fff : 0000:80:04.6
    e3ffff04000-e3ffff07fff : ioatdma
  e3ffff08000-e3ffff0bfff : 0000:80:04.5
    e3ffff08000-e3ffff0bfff : ioatdma
  e3ffff0c000-e3ffff0ffff : 0000:80:04.4
    e3ffff0c000-e3ffff0ffff : ioatdma
  e3ffff10000-e3ffff13fff : 0000:80:04.3
    e3ffff10000-e3ffff13fff : ioatdma
  e3ffff14000-e3ffff17fff : 0000:80:04.2
    e3ffff14000-e3ffff17fff : ioatdma
  e3ffff18000-e3ffff1bfff : 0000:80:04.1
    e3ffff18000-e3ffff1bfff : ioatdma
  e3ffff1c000-e3ffff1ffff : 0000:80:04.0
    e3ffff1c000-e3ffff1ffff : ioatdma
e4000000000-e7fffffffff : PCI Bus 0000:84
e8000000000-ebfffffffff : PCI Bus 0000:8d
ec000000000-effffffffff : PCI Bus 0000:96
f0000000000-f3fffffffff : PCI Bus 0000:c0
  f3ffff00000-f3ffff03fff : 0000:c0:04.7
    f3ffff00000-f3ffff03fff : ioatdma
  f3ffff04000-f3ffff07fff : 0000:c0:04.6
    f3ffff04000-f3ffff07fff : ioatdma
  f3ffff08000-f3ffff0bfff : 0000:c0:04.5
    f3ffff08000-f3ffff0bfff : ioatdma
  f3ffff0c000-f3ffff0ffff : 0000:c0:04.4
    f3ffff0c000-f3ffff0ffff : ioatdma
  f3ffff10000-f3ffff13fff : 0000:c0:04.3
    f3ffff10000-f3ffff13fff : ioatdma
  f3ffff14000-f3ffff17fff : 0000:c0:04.2
    f3ffff14000-f3ffff17fff : ioatdma
  f3ffff18000-f3ffff1bfff : 0000:c0:04.1
    f3ffff18000-f3ffff1bfff : ioatdma
  f3ffff1c000-f3ffff1ffff : 0000:c0:04.0
    f3ffff1c000-f3ffff1ffff : ioatdma
f4000000000-f7fffffffff : PCI Bus 0000:c4
f8000000000-fbfffffffff : PCI Bus 0000:cd
fc000000000-fffffffffff : PCI Bus 0000:db

Is there a way to configure BIOS UEFI to keep free that RAM?

Thank you for help.

Sofia

[Tam92]

Hello,

https://techlibrary.hpe.com/docs/iss/proliant-gen10-uefi/GUID-F8C8A028-EB57-4EAC-A664-331EAC4EA821.html 

Might be sort of help you are looking for ?

Thanks,
TAM

[SofiaSilvestri]

The option is already disabled and cannot be enabled due to other system settings.

Thank you for suggest.

Sofia