diff --git a/arch/x86/boot/Makefile b/arch/x86/boot/Makefile
index c70eff69a1fb..57a29fecf6bb 100644
--- a/arch/x86/boot/Makefile
+++ b/arch/x86/boot/Makefile
@@ -6,26 +6,23 @@
 # for more details.
 #
 # Copyright (C) 1994 by Linus Torvalds
+# Changed by many, many contributors over the years.
 #
 
 # ROOT_DEV specifies the default root-device when making the image.
 # This can be either FLOPPY, CURRENT, /dev/xxxx or empty, in which case
 # the default of FLOPPY is used by 'build'.
 
-ROOT_DEV := CURRENT
+ROOT_DEV	:= CURRENT
 
 # If you want to preset the SVGA mode, uncomment the next line and
 # set SVGA_MODE to whatever number you want.
 # Set it to -DSVGA_MODE=NORMAL_VGA if you just want the EGA/VGA mode.
 # The number is the same as you would ordinarily press at bootup.
 
-SVGA_MODE := -DSVGA_MODE=NORMAL_VGA
+SVGA_MODE	:= -DSVGA_MODE=NORMAL_VGA
 
-# If you want the RAM disk device, define this to be the size in blocks.
-
-#RAMDISK := -DRAMDISK=512
-
-targets		:= vmlinux.bin setup.bin setup.elf zImage bzImage
+targets		:= vmlinux.bin setup.bin setup.elf bzImage
 subdir-		:= compressed
 
 setup-y		+= a20.o cmdline.o copy.o cpu.o cpucheck.o edd.o
@@ -71,17 +68,13 @@ KBUILD_CFLAGS	:= $(LINUXINCLUDE) -g -Os -D_SETUP -D__KERNEL__ \
 KBUILD_CFLAGS +=   $(call cc-option,-m32)
 KBUILD_AFLAGS	:= $(KBUILD_CFLAGS) -D__ASSEMBLY__
 
-$(obj)/zImage:  asflags-y := $(SVGA_MODE) $(RAMDISK)
-$(obj)/bzImage: ccflags-y := -D__BIG_KERNEL__
-$(obj)/bzImage: asflags-y := $(SVGA_MODE) $(RAMDISK) -D__BIG_KERNEL__
-$(obj)/bzImage: BUILDFLAGS   := -b
+$(obj)/bzImage: asflags-y  := $(SVGA_MODE)
 
 quiet_cmd_image = BUILD   $@
-cmd_image = $(obj)/tools/build $(BUILDFLAGS) $(obj)/setup.bin \
-	    $(obj)/vmlinux.bin $(ROOT_DEV) > $@
+cmd_image = $(obj)/tools/build $(obj)/setup.bin $(obj)/vmlinux.bin \
+	$(ROOT_DEV) > $@
 
-$(obj)/zImage $(obj)/bzImage: $(obj)/setup.bin \
-			      $(obj)/vmlinux.bin $(obj)/tools/build FORCE
+$(obj)/bzImage: $(obj)/setup.bin $(obj)/vmlinux.bin $(obj)/tools/build FORCE
 	$(call if_changed,image)
 	@echo 'Kernel: $@ is ready' ' (#'`cat .version`')'
 
diff --git a/arch/x86/boot/header.S b/arch/x86/boot/header.S
index 7ccff4884a23..5d84d1c74e4c 100644
--- a/arch/x86/boot/header.S
+++ b/arch/x86/boot/header.S
@@ -24,12 +24,8 @@
 #include "boot.h"
 #include "offsets.h"
 
-SETUPSECTS	= 4			/* default nr of setup-sectors */
 BOOTSEG		= 0x07C0		/* original address of boot-sector */
-SYSSEG		= DEF_SYSSEG		/* system loaded at 0x10000 (65536) */
-SYSSIZE		= DEF_SYSSIZE		/* system size: # of 16-byte clicks */
-					/* to be loaded */
-ROOT_DEV	= 0			/* ROOT_DEV is now written by "build" */
+SYSSEG		= 0x1000		/* historical load address >> 4 */
 
 #ifndef SVGA_MODE
 #define SVGA_MODE ASK_VGA
@@ -97,12 +93,12 @@ bugger_off_msg:
 	.section ".header", "a"
 	.globl	hdr
 hdr:
-setup_sects:	.byte SETUPSECTS
+setup_sects:	.byte 0			/* Filled in by build.c */
 root_flags:	.word ROOT_RDONLY
-syssize:	.long SYSSIZE
-ram_size:	.word RAMDISK
+syssize:	.long 0			/* Filled in by build.c */
+ram_size:	.word 0			/* Obsolete */
 vid_mode:	.word SVGA_MODE
-root_dev:	.word ROOT_DEV
+root_dev:	.word 0			/* Filled in by build.c */
 boot_flag:	.word 0xAA55
 
 	# offset 512, entry point
@@ -123,14 +119,15 @@ _start:
 					# or else old loadlin-1.5 will fail)
 		.globl realmode_swtch
 realmode_swtch:	.word	0, 0		# default_switch, SETUPSEG
-start_sys_seg:	.word	SYSSEG
+start_sys_seg:	.word	SYSSEG		# obsolete and meaningless, but just
+					# in case something decided to "use" it
 		.word	kernel_version-512 # pointing to kernel version string
 					# above section of header is compatible
 					# with loadlin-1.5 (header v1.5). Don't
 					# change it.
 
-type_of_loader:	.byte	0		# = 0, old one (LILO, Loadlin,
-					#      Bootlin, SYSLX, bootsect...)
+type_of_loader:	.byte	0		# 0 means ancient bootloader, newer
+					# bootloaders know to change this.
 					# See Documentation/i386/boot.txt for
 					# assigned ids
 
@@ -142,11 +139,7 @@ CAN_USE_HEAP	= 0x80			# If set, the loader also has set
 					# space behind setup.S can be used for
 					# heap purposes.
 					# Only the loader knows what is free
-#ifndef __BIG_KERNEL__
-		.byte	0
-#else
 		.byte	LOADED_HIGH
-#endif
 
 setup_move_size: .word  0x8000		# size to move, when setup is not
 					# loaded at 0x90000. We will move setup
@@ -157,11 +150,7 @@ setup_move_size: .word  0x8000		# size to move, when setup is not
 
 code32_start:				# here loaders can put a different
 					# start address for 32-bit code.
-#ifndef __BIG_KERNEL__
-		.long	0x1000		#   0x1000 = default for zImage
-#else
 		.long	0x100000	# 0x100000 = default for big kernel
-#endif
 
 ramdisk_image:	.long	0		# address of loaded ramdisk image
 					# Here the loader puts the 32-bit
diff --git a/arch/x86/boot/pm.c b/arch/x86/boot/pm.c
index 85a1cd8a8ff8..8062f8915250 100644
--- a/arch/x86/boot/pm.c
+++ b/arch/x86/boot/pm.c
@@ -32,47 +32,6 @@ static void realmode_switch_hook(void)
 	}
 }
 
-/*
- * A zImage kernel is loaded at 0x10000 but wants to run at 0x1000.
- * A bzImage kernel is loaded and runs at 0x100000.
- */
-static void move_kernel_around(void)
-{
-	/* Note: rely on the compile-time option here rather than
-	   the LOADED_HIGH flag.  The Qemu kernel loader unconditionally
-	   sets the loadflags to zero. */
-#ifndef __BIG_KERNEL__
-	u16 dst_seg, src_seg;
-	u32 syssize;
-
-	dst_seg =  0x1000 >> 4;
-	src_seg = 0x10000 >> 4;
-	syssize = boot_params.hdr.syssize; /* Size in 16-byte paragraphs */
-
-	while (syssize) {
-		int paras  = (syssize >= 0x1000) ? 0x1000 : syssize;
-		int dwords = paras << 2;
-
-		asm volatile("pushw %%es ; "
-			     "pushw %%ds ; "
-			     "movw %1,%%es ; "
-			     "movw %2,%%ds ; "
-			     "xorw %%di,%%di ; "
-			     "xorw %%si,%%si ; "
-			     "rep;movsl ; "
-			     "popw %%ds ; "
-			     "popw %%es"
-			     : "+c" (dwords)
-			     : "r" (dst_seg), "r" (src_seg)
-			     : "esi", "edi");
-
-		syssize -= paras;
-		dst_seg += paras;
-		src_seg += paras;
-	}
-#endif
-}
-
 /*
  * Disable all interrupts at the legacy PIC.
  */
@@ -147,9 +106,6 @@ void go_to_protected_mode(void)
 	/* Hook before leaving real mode, also disables interrupts */
 	realmode_switch_hook();
 
-	/* Move the kernel/setup to their final resting places */
-	move_kernel_around();
-
 	/* Enable the A20 gate */
 	if (enable_a20()) {
 		puts("A20 gate not responding, unable to boot...\n");
diff --git a/arch/x86/boot/tools/build.c b/arch/x86/boot/tools/build.c
index 44dc1923c0e3..ee3a4ea923ac 100644
--- a/arch/x86/boot/tools/build.c
+++ b/arch/x86/boot/tools/build.c
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ static void die(const char * str, ...)
 
 static void usage(void)
 {
-	die("Usage: build [-b] setup system [rootdev] [> image]");
+	die("Usage: build setup system [rootdev] [> image]");
 }
 
 int main(int argc, char ** argv)
@@ -145,11 +145,6 @@ int main(int argc, char ** argv)
 	void *kernel;
 	u32 crc = 0xffffffffUL;
 
-	if (argc > 2 && !strcmp(argv[1], "-b"))
-	  {
-	    is_big_kernel = 1;
-	    argc--, argv++;
-	  }
 	if ((argc < 3) || (argc > 4))
 		usage();
 	if (argc > 3) {
@@ -216,8 +211,6 @@ int main(int argc, char ** argv)
 		die("Unable to mmap '%s': %m", argv[2]);
 	/* Number of 16-byte paragraphs, including space for a 4-byte CRC */
 	sys_size = (sz + 15 + 4) / 16;
-	if (!is_big_kernel && sys_size > DEF_SYSSIZE)
-		die("System is too big. Try using bzImage or modules.");
 
 	/* Patch the setup code with the appropriate size parameters */
 	buf[0x1f1] = setup_sectors-1;
diff --git a/arch/x86/include/asm/boot.h b/arch/x86/include/asm/boot.h
index 6526cf08b0e4..6ba23dd9fc92 100644
--- a/arch/x86/include/asm/boot.h
+++ b/arch/x86/include/asm/boot.h
@@ -1,10 +1,6 @@
 #ifndef _ASM_X86_BOOT_H
 #define _ASM_X86_BOOT_H
 
-/* Don't touch these, unless you really know what you're doing. */
-#define DEF_SYSSEG	0x1000
-#define DEF_SYSSIZE	0x7F00
-
 /* Internal svga startup constants */
 #define NORMAL_VGA	0xffff		/* 80x25 mode */
 #define EXTENDED_VGA	0xfffe		/* 80x50 mode */