What problem does it solve? Implementing direct Linux kernel boot in a custom VMM requires correctly assembling boot_params, E820 memory maps, initramfs placement, and serial console plumbing — small mistakes cause silent boot failures that are hard to diagnose. ## Core Features & Use Cases - bzImage loading via linux-loader: Loads the kernel above HIGH_RAM_START using the linux-loader crate instead of hand-rolled ELF/bzImage parsing, returning the entry point and setup header. - Zero page and boot_params construction: Builds boot_params with E820 entries from machine_x86, ACPI RSDP pointer, initrd fields, and the 64-bit entry configuration helpers. - Serial console and boot-marker testing: Wires a 16550 UART at 0x3f8 through KVM_EXIT_IO and validates boots by scanning captured serial output for the VMHOST_GUEST_READY marker or kernel panic strings. - Use Case: When implementing kernel loading for the entangled VMM (backlog EPIC 2, crates linux-boot and machine-x86), load this Skill to get the exact memory layout, cmdline policy, and test strategy before writing code. ## Quick Start Load this Skill before working on kernel loading or the serial console in the linux-boot crate, then follow its boot_params and initramfs placement rules.
