On book3s/32, when STRICT_KERNEL_RWX is selected, modules are
allocated on the segment just before kernel text, ie on the
0xb0000000-0xbfffffff when PAGE_OFFSET is 0xc0000000.

On the 8xx, TASK_SIZE is 0x80000000. The space between TASK_SIZE and
PAGE_OFFSET is not used and could be used for modules.

The idea comes from ARM architecture.

Having modules just below PAGE_OFFSET offers an opportunity to
minimise the distance between kernel text and modules and avoid
trampolines in modules to access kernel functions or other module
functions.

When MODULES_VADDR is defined, powerpc has it's own module_alloc()
function. In that function, first try to allocate the module
above the limit defined by '_etext - 32M'. Then if the allocation
fails, fallback to the entire MODULES area.

DEBUG logs in module_32.c without the patch:

[ 1572.588822] module_32: Applying ADD relocate section 13 to 12
[ 1572.588891] module_32: Doing plt for call to 0xc00671a4 at 0xcae04024
[ 1572.588964] module_32: Initialized plt for 0xc00671a4 at cae04000
[ 1572.589037] module_32: REL24 value = CAE04000. location = CAE04024
[ 1572.589110] module_32: Location before: 48000001.
[ 1572.589171] module_32: Location after: 4BFFFFDD.
[ 1572.589231] module_32: ie. jump to 03FFFFDC+CAE04024 = CEE04000
[ 1572.589317] module_32: Applying ADD relocate section 15 to 14
[ 1572.589386] module_32: Doing plt for call to 0xc00671a4 at 0xcadfc018
[ 1572.589457] module_32: Initialized plt for 0xc00671a4 at cadfc000
[ 1572.589529] module_32: REL24 value = CADFC000. location = CADFC018
[ 1572.589601] module_32: Location before: 48000000.
[ 1572.589661] module_32: Location after: 4BFFFFE8.
[ 1572.589723] module_32: ie. jump to 03FFFFE8+CADFC018 = CEDFC000

With the patch:

[  279.404671] module_32: Applying ADD relocate section 13 to 12
[  279.404741] module_32: REL24 value = C00671B4. location = BF808024
[  279.404814] module_32: Location before: 48000001.
[  279.404874] module_32: Location after: 4885F191.
[  279.404933] module_32: ie. jump to 0085F190+BF808024 = C00671B4
[  279.405016] module_32: Applying ADD relocate section 15 to 14
[  279.405085] module_32: REL24 value = C00671B4. location = BF800018
[  279.405156] module_32: Location before: 48000000.
[  279.405215] module_32: Location after: 4886719C.
[  279.405275] module_32: ie. jump to 0086719C+BF800018 = C00671B4

We see that with the patch, no plt entries are set.
Signed-off-by: Christophe Leroy <christophe.leroy@csgroup.eu>
Signed-off-by: Michael Ellerman <mpe@ellerman.id.au>
Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/0c3d5cb8a4dfdf6ca1b8aeb385c01470d6628d55.1617283827.git.christophe.leroy@csgroup.eu