can someone help me to understand this declaration: CONFIG_X86_WP_WORKS_OK in kernel config? what is the function of it? and how it work?
Require working memory write protect
CONFIG_X86_WP_WORKS_OK
So if you enable this option, the kernel assumes your processor handles writing to pages while in supervisor mode properly.
http://lkml.indiana.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/0003.1/0009.html
the above is an old thread. recent code does not seems to have this comment.
WP Write protect Determines whether the CPU can write to pages marked read-only
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_register
From below
http://src3.org/#RHEL6-2.6.32+220.el6/arch/x86/mm/init_32.c#L845
there is a check for WP bit in cpu and find non-working WP bit and panic system.