5.2. How to online memory
------------
-Even if the memory is hot-added, it is not at ready-to-use state.
-For using newly added memory, you have to "online" the memory block.
+When the memory is hot-added, the kernel decides whether or not to "online"
+it according to the policy which can be read from "auto_online_blocks" file:
-For onlining, you have to write "online" to the memory block's state file as:
+% cat /sys/devices/system/memory/auto_online_blocks
+
+The default is "offline" which means the newly added memory is not in a
+ready-to-use state and you have to "online" the newly added memory blocks
+manually. Automatic onlining can be requested by writing "online" to
+"auto_online_blocks" file:
+
+% echo online > /sys/devices/system/memory/auto_online_blocks
+
+This sets a global policy and impacts all memory blocks that will subsequently
+be hotplugged. Currently offline blocks keep their state. It is possible, under
+certain circumstances, that some memory blocks will be added but will fail to
+online. User space tools can check their "state" files
+(/sys/devices/system/memory/memoryXXX/state) and try to online them manually.
+
+If the automatic onlining wasn't requested, failed, or some memory block was
+offlined it is possible to change the individual block's state by writing to the
+"state" file:
% echo online > /sys/devices/system/memory/memoryXXX/state