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25 changes: 23 additions & 2 deletions documentation/asciidoc/computers/config_txt/boot.adoc
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -25,13 +25,34 @@ The Raspberry Pi 5 firmware defaults to loading `kernel_2712.img` because this i

=== `arm_64bit`


If set to 1, the kernel will be started in 64-bit mode. Setting to 0 selects 32-bit mode.

In 64-bit mode, the firmware will choose an appropriate kernel (e.g. `kernel8.img`), unless there is an explicit `kernel` option defined, in which case that is used instead.

Defaults to 1 on Pi 4s (Pi 4B, Pi 400, CM4 and CM4S), and 0 on all other platforms. However, if the name given in an explicit `kernel` option matches one of the known kernels then `arm_64bit` will be set accordingly.
Defaults to 1 on Raspberry Pi 4, 400 and Compute Module 4, 4S platforms. Defaults to 0 on all other platforms. However, if the name given in an explicit `kernel` option matches one of the known kernels then `arm_64bit` will be set accordingly.

64-bit kernels come in the following forms:

* uncompressed image files
* gzip archives of an image
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@lurch lurch Nov 7, 2024

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I wonder if we should remove the plural from these two lines, given that you'll only ever be using one kernel at any given time? And IMHO "archive" usually implies that there's more than one file inside the archive, so perhaps this could be simplified too? (so "uncompressed image file" and "gzip-compressed image file" ?)


Both forms may use the `img` file extension; the bootloader recognizes archives using signature bytes at the start of the file.

The following Raspberry Pi models support this flag:

* 2B rev 1.2
* 3
* 3+
* 4
* 400
* Zero 2 W
* Compute Module 3
* Compute Module 3+
* Compute Module 4
* Compute Module 4S

NOTE: 64-bit kernels may be uncompressed image files or a gzip archive of an image (which can still be called kernel8.img; the bootloader will recognize the archive from the signature bytes at the beginning). The 64-bit kernel will only work on the Raspberry Pi 3, 3+, 4, 400, Zero 2 W and 2B rev 1.2, and Raspberry Pi Compute Modules 3, 3+ and 4. Raspberry Pi 5 only supports a 64-bit kernel, so this parameter has been removed for that device.
Later models, such as Raspberry Pi 5, _only_ support the 64-bit kernel. Such models do not support this flag.

=== `ramfsfile`

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