Impossible to run aarch64 elf loader on RockyLinux 8.9

[anisse]

The latest aarch64 ELF loader does not work (nor any cosmopolitan binary):

$ uname -vris
Linux 4.18.0-513.11.1.el8_9.0.1.aarch64 #1 SMP Tue Feb 13 18:47:30 EST 2024 aarch64
$ sha256sum ./ape-aarch64.elf 
877ccbd465243065426cb4a3cab4351acad918649f8656556bb604882eead08f  ./ape-aarch64.elf
$ ./ape-aarch64.elf 
Segmentation fault
$ strace ./ape-aarch64.elf 
execve("./ape-aarch64.elf", ["./ape-aarch64.elf"], 0xfffff8fbe7b0 /* 18 vars */) = -1 EINVAL (Invalid argument)

This is on an Ampere CPU.

Looking at the strace output, I think it might be the ancient (and patched by the distros) kernel that does not like Cosmopolitan's ELF file. It could probably be reproduced on a VM.

In addition on gdb, I can't even break on the first instruction:

running an ancient gdb

GNU gdb (GDB) Rocky Linux 8.2-20.el8.0.1
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Type "show copying" and "show warranty" for details.
This GDB was configured as "aarch64-redhat-linux-gnu".
Type "show configuration" for configuration details.
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<http://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/bugs/>.
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warning: A handler for the OS ABI "FreeBSD" is not built into this configuration
of GDB.  Attempting to continue with the default aarch64 settings.

Reading symbols from ./ape-aarch64.elf...(no debugging symbols found)...done.
(gdb) starti
Starting program: /tmp/ape-aarch64.elf 
During startup program terminated with signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault.
(gdb) info files
Symbols from "/tmp/ape-aarch64.elf".
Local exec file:
	`/tmp/ape-aarch64.elf', file type elf64-littleaarch64.
	Entry point: 0x1c0
	0x0000000000000120 - 0x0000000000000134 is .hash
	0x0000000000000138 - 0x0000000000000154 is .gnu.hash
	0x0000000000000158 - 0x0000000000000188 is .dynsym
	0x0000000000000188 - 0x0000000000000189 is .dynstr
	0x0000000000000190 - 0x00000000000001c0 is .rela.dyn
	0x00000000000001c0 - 0x00000000000012ec is .text
	0x00000000000012ec - 0x000000000000170e is .rodata
	0x0000000000005710 - 0x0000000000005820 is .dynamic
	0x0000000000005820 - 0x0000000000005838 is .got
	0x0000000000005838 - 0x0000000000005850 is .got.plt
(gdb) b 0x1c0
Function "0x1c0" not defined.
Make breakpoint pending on future shared library load? (y or [n]) y
Breakpoint 1 (0x1c0) pending.
(gdb) r
Starting program: /tmp/ape-aarch64.elf 
During startup program terminated with signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault.
(gdb) b *0x1c0
Breakpoint 2 at 0x1c0
(gdb) r
Starting program: /tmp/ape-aarch64.elf 
During startup program terminated with signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault.

I think this might be related to this llamafile issue: Mozilla-Ocho/llamafile#345