Linux kernel file reboot

Question

kernel/reboot.c file is architecture-independent part of reboot process.

arch/x86/kernel/reboot.c and all other arch/*/kernel/reboot.c are architecture-specific versions of some functions, used by kernel/reboot.c.

For example, in arch/x86/kernel/reboot.c there is machine_real_restart() function (Assuming we booted using BIOS, actual selection is in native_machine_emergency_restart), which is last kernel function called. It asks BIOS to do actual reboot:

 69 void __noreturn machine_real_restart(unsigned int type)
 73         /*
 74          * Write zero to CMOS register number 0x0f, which the BIOS POST
 75          * routine will recognize as telling it to do a proper reboot.  (Well
 76          * that's what this book in front of me says -- it may only apply to
 77          * the Phoenix BIOS though, it's not clear).  At the same time,
 78          * disable NMIs by setting the top bit in the CMOS address register,
 79          * as we're about to do peculiar things to the CPU.  I'm not sure if
 80          * `outb_p' is needed instead of just `outb'.  Use it to be on the
 81          * safe side.  (Yes, CMOS_WRITE does outb_p's. -  Paul G.)
 82          */

 84         CMOS_WRITE(0x00, 0x8f);

 96         /* Jump to the identity-mapped low memory code */
 97 #ifdef CONFIG_X86_32
 98         asm volatile("jmpl *%0" : :
 99                      "rm" (real_mode_header->machine_real_restart_asm),
100                      "a" (type));

This function is called from native_machine_emergency_restart() function, which is registered as *emergency_restart function pointer of machine_ops structure. This pointer is called by machine_emergency_restart and this is the entry point from architecture independent part, kernel/reboot.c into x86 specific part:

emergency_restart() function from kernel/reboot.c:

 53 /**
 54  *      emergency_restart - reboot the system
 55  *
 56  *      Without shutting down any hardware or taking any locks
 57  *      reboot the system.  This is called when we know we are in
 58  *      trouble so this is our best effort to reboot.  This is
 59  *      safe to call in interrupt context.
 60  */
 61 void emergency_restart(void)
 62 {
 63         kmsg_dump(KMSG_DUMP_EMERG);
 64         machine_emergency_restart();
 65 }
 66 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(emergency_restart);

For normal shutdown (not emergency one like ^^^^), similar call chain is built. Let's start from basic kernel/reboot.c, kernel_restart function:

125 /**
126  *      kernel_restart - reboot the system
130  *      Shutdown everything and perform a clean reboot.
131  *      This is not safe to call in interrupt context.
132  */
133 void kernel_restart(char *cmd)
134 {
135         kernel_restart_prepare(cmd);
...
143         machine_restart(cmd);
144 }
145 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(kernel_restart);

We can see that this universal function calls architecture specific machine_restart to do all needed actions to tell hardware that we are rebooting. In x86 it will do ... yes, it will call restart function pointer from machine_ops:

658 void machine_restart(char *cmd)
659 {
660         machine_ops.restart(cmd);
661 }

X86's restart points to the native_machine_restart which again calls __machine_emergency_restart, which will call same machine_real_restart.