diff --git a/initrd/sbin/init b/initrd/sbin/init
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..0eafe290
Binary files /dev/null and b/initrd/sbin/init differ
diff --git a/src/arch/x86_64/include/arch/mmu.h b/src/arch/x86_64/include/arch/mmu.h
index e41c9c76..5cb2a2e6 100644
--- a/src/arch/x86_64/include/arch/mmu.h
+++ b/src/arch/x86_64/include/arch/mmu.h
@@ -22,5 +22,7 @@ void* arch_mmu_getphysicaladdr(arch_mmu_tableptr, void*);
 void arch_mmu_unmap(arch_mmu_tableptr, void*);
 void arch_mmu_init();
 void arch_mmu_apinit();
+arch_mmu_tableptr arch_mmu_newcontext();
+void arch_mmu_switchcontext(arch_mmu_tableptr);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/arch/x86_64/include/arch/regs.h b/src/arch/x86_64/include/arch/regs.h
index 97438035..8b775c2e 100644
--- a/src/arch/x86_64/include/arch/regs.h
+++ b/src/arch/x86_64/include/arch/regs.h
@@ -9,5 +9,6 @@ typedef struct{
 } arch_regs;
 
 void arch_regs_setupkernel(arch_regs* regs, void* ip, void* stack, bool interrupts);
+void arch_regs_setupuser(arch_regs* regs, void* ip, void* stack, bool interrupts);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/arch/x86_64/main.c b/src/arch/x86_64/main.c
index e26a6448..09f7474f 100644
--- a/src/arch/x86_64/main.c
+++ b/src/arch/x86_64/main.c
@@ -27,8 +27,20 @@ struct limine_terminal_response* liminetty;
 
 int  ttylock = 0;
 
+static vmm_context* liminettyctx;
+
 void liminewrite(char* str, size_t c){
+
+	vmm_context* old = arch_getcls()->context;
+	
+	if(liminettyctx)
+		vmm_switchcontext(liminettyctx);
+	
 	liminetty->write(liminetty->terminals[0], str, c);
+	
+	if(liminettyctx)
+		vmm_switchcontext(old);
+	
 }
 
 void kmain(){
@@ -52,6 +64,8 @@ void kmain(){
 	arch_mmu_init();
 	
 	vmm_init();	
+
+	liminettyctx = arch_getcls()->context;
 	
 	alloc_init();
 
@@ -82,6 +96,8 @@ void kmain(){
 
 	smp_init();
 
+	sched_runinit();
+
 	_panic("End of kmain()", 0);
 
 }
diff --git a/src/arch/x86_64/mmu.c b/src/arch/x86_64/mmu.c
index d6cdb781..d97f08d6 100644
--- a/src/arch/x86_64/mmu.c
+++ b/src/arch/x86_64/mmu.c
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@ static void changeentry(uint64_t* entry, void* paddr, uint64_t flags){
 
 #define PTR_FLAGS ARCH_MMU_MAP_READ | ARCH_MMU_MAP_WRITE | ARCH_MMU_MAP_USER | ARCH_MMU_MAP_NOEXEC
 
-static void switchcontext(arch_mmu_tableptr context){
-	asm("mov %%rax, %%cr3" : : "a"(context));
+void arch_mmu_switchcontext(arch_mmu_tableptr context){
+	asm("mov %%rax, %%cr3" : : "a"(context) : "memory");
 }
 
 void* inv = NULL;
@@ -162,7 +162,21 @@ void arch_mmu_unmap(arch_mmu_tableptr context, void* vaddr){
 	
 }
 
-static arch_mmu_tableptr context; //boostrap context
+static arch_mmu_tableptr context; //boostrap context; also holds the kernel page tables
+
+arch_mmu_tableptr arch_mmu_newcontext(){
+	
+	arch_mmu_tableptr newcontext = pmm_alloc(1);
+	if(!newcontext)
+		return NULL;
+
+	memcpy((void*)newcontext + (size_t)limine_hhdm_offset, context, PAGE_SIZE);
+
+	memset((void*)newcontext + (size_t)limine_hhdm_offset, 0, PAGE_SIZE / 2);
+	
+	return newcontext;
+
+}
 
 void arch_mmu_init(){
 	
@@ -252,7 +266,7 @@ void arch_mmu_init(){
 	}
 	
 
-	switchcontext(context);
+	arch_mmu_switchcontext(context);
 	arch_getcls()->context->context = context;
 
 	printf("In bootstrap context\n");
@@ -261,7 +275,7 @@ void arch_mmu_init(){
 
 void arch_mmu_apinit(){
 	
-	switchcontext(context);
+	arch_mmu_switchcontext(context);
 
 	arch_getcls()->context = pmm_hhdmalloc(1);
 
diff --git a/src/arch/x86_64/regs.c b/src/arch/x86_64/regs.c
index 0a4d66a3..93939bd4 100644
--- a/src/arch/x86_64/regs.c
+++ b/src/arch/x86_64/regs.c
@@ -11,3 +11,16 @@ void arch_regs_setupkernel(arch_regs* regs, void* ip, void* stack, bool interrup
         regs->ss = 0x30;
         regs->rflags = interrupts ? 0x200 : 0;	
 }
+
+void arch_regs_setupuser(arch_regs* regs, void* ip, void* stack, bool interrupts){
+	regs->rip = ip;
+	regs->rsp = stack;
+	regs->cs = 0x38 | 3;
+	regs->ds = 0x40 | 3;
+        regs->es = 0x40 | 3;
+        regs->fs = 0x40 | 3;
+        regs->gs = 0x40 | 3;
+        regs->ss = 0x40 | 3;
+        regs->rflags = interrupts ? 0x200 : 0;
+
+}
diff --git a/src/include/kernel/elf.h b/src/include/kernel/elf.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4be54914
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/include/kernel/elf.h
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+#ifndef _ELF_H_INCLUDE
+#define _ELF_H_INCLUDE
+
+#include <kernel/sched.h>
+#include <kernel/vfs.h>
+#include <stddef.h>
+#include <stdint.h>
+
+#define ELF_MAGIC 0x464c457f // 0x7F ELF
+#define ELF_BITS_64 2
+#define ELF_ISA_X86_64 0x3E
+#define ELF_ENDIANNESS_LITTLE 1
+
+#define ELF_RELOCATABLE 1
+#define ELF_EXECUTABLE 2
+#define ELF_SHARED 3
+#define ELF_CORE 4
+
+#define ELF_SEGMENT_NULL 0
+#define ELF_SEGMENT_LOAD 1
+#define ELF_SEGMENT_DYNAMIC 2
+#define ELF_SEGMENT_INTERP 3
+#define ELF_SEGMENT_NOTE 4
+
+#define ELF_FLAG_EXECUTABLE 1
+#define ELF_FLAG_WRITABLE 2
+#define ELF_FLAG_READABLE 4
+
+
+typedef struct{
+	uint32_t magic;
+	uint8_t bits;
+	uint8_t endianness;
+	uint8_t headversion;
+	uint8_t abi;
+	uint64_t padding;
+	uint16_t type;
+	uint16_t isa;
+	uint32_t elfver;
+	uint64_t entry;
+	uint64_t ph_pos;
+	uint64_t sh_pos;
+	uint32_t flags;
+	uint16_t headsize;
+	uint16_t ph_size;
+	uint16_t ph_count;
+	uint16_t sh_size;
+	uint16_t sh_count;
+	uint16_t sh_names;
+} __attribute__((packed)) elf_header64;
+
+#define PH_TYPE_LOAD 1
+#define PH_TYPE_DYNAMIC 2
+#define PH_TYPE_INTERPRETER 3
+#define PH_TYPE_NOTE 4
+
+typedef struct{
+	uint32_t type;
+	uint32_t flags;
+	uint64_t offset;
+	uint64_t memaddr;
+	uint64_t undefined;
+	uint64_t fsize;
+	uint64_t msize;
+	uint64_t alignment;
+} elf_ph64;
+
+// loads an elf executable from file, setting target thread with appropriate
+// values for it
+// also sets up the stack for said executable
+
+int elf_load(thread_t* thread, vnode_t* node, char** argv, char** env);
+
+#endif
diff --git a/src/include/kernel/sched.h b/src/include/kernel/sched.h
index da9a9a03..3cc16cae 100644
--- a/src/include/kernel/sched.h
+++ b/src/include/kernel/sched.h
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <arch/regs.h>
 #include <kernel/vfs.h>
+#include <kernel/vmm.h>
 
 #define THREAD_PRIORITY_INTERRUPT 0
 #define THREAD_PRIORITY_KERNEL 1
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ typedef struct _proc_t{
 	pid_t pid;
 	gid_t gid;
 	uid_t uid;
+	vmm_context* context;
 	thread_t** threads;
 	size_t threadcount;
 	dirnode_t* root;
diff --git a/src/include/kernel/vmm.h b/src/include/kernel/vmm.h
index 9bf97710..ab1bac35 100644
--- a/src/include/kernel/vmm.h
+++ b/src/include/kernel/vmm.h
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@
 
 #define KERNEL_SPACE_START 0xFFFF800000000000
 #define KERNEL_SPACE_END   0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
+#define USER_SPACE_START   0
+#define USER_SPACE_END     0x00007FFFFFFFFFFF
 
 #define VMM_TYPE_FREE 0
 #define VMM_TYPE_ANON 1
@@ -57,4 +59,5 @@ bool		vmm_unmap(void* addr, size_t pagec);
 bool		vmm_map(void* paddr, void* vaddr, size_t pagec, size_t mmuflags);
 void*		vmm_alloc(size_t pagec, size_t mmuflags);
 bool		vmm_setfree(void* addr, size_t pagec);
+vmm_context*	vmm_newcontext();
 #endif
diff --git a/src/include/string.h b/src/include/string.h
index 3da49930..6010e7eb 100644
--- a/src/include/string.h
+++ b/src/include/string.h
@@ -10,6 +10,6 @@ void *memcpy(void* dest, void* src, size_t size);
 void *memset(void* dest, unsigned long what, size_t size);
 int   strcmp(const char *a, const char* b);
 int   strncmp(const char* a, const char* b, size_t c);
-
+char* strerror(int errnum);
 
 #endif 
diff --git a/src/include/string/strerror.c b/src/include/string/strerror.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7ff8d30e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/include/string/strerror.c
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#include <string.h>
+
+static char* strs[] = {
+	"No error",
+	"Not a directory",
+	"No such device",
+	"Out of memory",
+	"Invalid",
+	"Function unimplemented",
+	"File already exists",
+	"No such file or directory"
+};
+
+char* strerror(int errnum){
+	return strs[errnum];
+}
diff --git a/src/sys/mm/vmm.c b/src/sys/mm/vmm.c
index e6a0e5bc..4a93a647 100644
--- a/src/sys/mm/vmm.c
+++ b/src/sys/mm/vmm.c
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include <stdbool.h>
 #include <limine.h>
 #include <arch/cls.h>
+#include <kernel/alloc.h>
 
 vmm_cache* caches;
 int klock;
@@ -489,6 +490,38 @@ bool vmm_dealwithrequest(void* addr){
 
 }
 
+void vmm_switchcontext(vmm_context* context){
+	arch_getcls()->context = context;
+	arch_mmu_switchcontext(context->context);
+}
+
+vmm_context* vmm_newcontext(){
+
+	vmm_context* context = alloc(sizeof(vmm_context));
+	if(!context)
+		return NULL;
+	vmm_mapping* map = allocatefirst(caches);
+	if(!map){
+		free(context);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	context->context = arch_mmu_newcontext();
+	if(!context->context){
+		free(context);
+		freeentry(map);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	map->start = USER_SPACE_START;
+	map->end = USER_SPACE_END;
+
+	context->userstart = map;
+
+	return context;
+
+}
+
 void vmm_init(){
 	printf("%lu mappings per cache\n", VMM_CACHE_ENTRY_COUNT);
 	caches = newcache();
diff --git a/src/sys/sched/elf.c b/src/sys/sched/elf.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..12b34f9d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sys/sched/elf.c
@@ -0,0 +1,123 @@
+#include <kernel/elf.h>
+#include <kernel/alloc.h>
+#include <errno.h>
+
+static bool check_header64(elf_header64* header){
+	// XXX throw this into arch
+
+	if(header->magic != ELF_MAGIC)
+		return false;
+	
+	if(header->bits != ELF_BITS_64)
+		return false;
+	
+	if(header->endianness != ELF_ENDIANNESS_LITTLE)
+		return false;
+
+	if(header->isa != ELF_ISA_X86_64)
+		return false;
+	
+	return true;
+
+}
+
+int elf_load(thread_t* thread, vnode_t* node, char** argv, char** env){
+	
+	elf_header64 header;	
+	elf_ph64 ph;
+	int err = 0;
+	int readc = vfs_read(&err, node, &header, sizeof(elf_header64), 0);
+	char* interp = NULL;
+
+	if(err)
+		return err;
+	
+
+	if(readc != sizeof(elf_header64) || (!check_header64(&header)))
+		return EINVAL;
+	
+	
+	// find out if this needs an interpreter
+
+	for(size_t currentph = 0; currentph < header.ph_count; ++currentph){	
+		readc = vfs_read(&err, node, &ph, header.ph_size, header.ph_pos + currentph*header.ph_size);
+		if(err)
+			return err;
+		if(readc != header.ph_size)
+			return EINVAL;
+		
+		if(ph.type == PH_TYPE_INTERPRETER){
+
+			// load the name and elf header of the interpreter
+
+			char* interp = alloc(ph.fsize + 1);
+			if(!interp)
+				return ENOMEM;
+
+			readc = vfs_read(&err, node, interp, ph.fsize, ph.offset);
+			if(err){
+				free(interp);
+				return err;
+			}
+			if(ph.fsize != readc){
+				free(interp);
+				return EINVAL;
+			}
+
+			err = vfs_open(&node, thread->proc->root, interp);
+
+			if(err){
+				free(interp);
+				return err;
+			}
+
+			readc = vfs_read(&err, node, &header, sizeof(elf_header64), 0);
+
+			if(err)
+				goto _fail;
+
+			if(readc != sizeof(elf_header64) || (!check_header64(&header))){
+				err = EINVAL;
+				goto _fail;
+			}
+
+			break;
+
+		}
+		
+	}
+
+	// load program into memory
+	
+	for(size_t currentph = 0; currentph < header.ph_count; ++currentph){
+		
+		readc = vfs_read(&err, node, &ph, header.ph_size, header.ph_pos + currentph*header.ph_size);
+
+		if(err) goto _fail;
+
+		if(readc != header.ph_size){
+			err = EINVAL;
+			goto _fail;
+		}
+
+		if(ph.type != PH_TYPE_LOAD)
+			continue;
+
+
+		
+			
+	}
+	
+	
+
+	return 0;
+
+	_fail:
+		if(interp){
+			free(interp);
+			vfs_close(node);
+		}
+	
+	return err;
+
+}
diff --git a/src/sys/sched/scheduler.c b/src/sys/sched/scheduler.c
index 05d01b73..fa7c713b 100644
--- a/src/sys/sched/scheduler.c
+++ b/src/sys/sched/scheduler.c
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 #include <arch/mmu.h>
 #include <kernel/pmm.h>
 #include <kernel/timer.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <kernel/elf.h>
 
 #define THREAD_QUANTUM 10000
 
@@ -19,6 +21,31 @@ sched_queue queues[QUEUE_COUNT];
 sched_queue running;
 sched_queue blocked;
 
+static proc_t* allocproc(size_t threadcount){
+	
+	proc_t* proc = alloc(sizeof(proc_t));
+	if(!proc)
+		return NULL;
+
+	proc->threads = alloc(sizeof(thread_t*) * threadcount);
+	
+	if(!proc->threads){
+		free(proc);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	proc->context = vmm_newcontext();
+
+	if(!proc->context){
+		free(proc->threads);
+		free(proc);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+	
+	return proc;
+	
+}
+
 static thread_t* allocthread(proc_t* proc, state_t state, pid_t tid, size_t kstacksize){
 	
 	thread_t* thread = alloc(sizeof(thread_t));
@@ -57,6 +84,13 @@ static thread_t* allocthread(proc_t* proc, state_t state, pid_t tid, size_t ksta
 
 }
 
+static thread_t* freethread(thread_t* thread){
+	free(thread->regs);
+	// XXX use free() when it's better
+	pmm_free(thread->kernelstackbase, thread->stacksize / PAGE_SIZE + 1);
+	free(thread);
+}
+
 static void queue_add(sched_queue* queue, thread_t* thread){
 	thread->next = NULL;
 	thread->prev = queue->end;
@@ -158,7 +192,7 @@ static void switch_thread(thread_t* thread){
 	
 	if(current->proc != thread->proc){
 		
-		// TODO change proc specific stuff
+		vmm_switchcontext(thread->proc->context);
 
 	}
 
@@ -170,6 +204,37 @@ static void switch_thread(thread_t* thread){
 
 }
 
+thread_t* sched_newuthread(void* ip, size_t kstacksize, void* stack, proc_t* proc, bool run, int prio){
+
+	thread_t* thread = allocthread(NULL, THREAD_STATE_WAITING, 0, kstacksize);
+	
+	if(!proc){
+		proc = allocproc(1);
+		if(!proc){
+			freethread(thread);
+			return NULL;
+		}
+	}
+	else{
+		thread_t** tmp = realloc(proc->threads, sizeof(thread_t*) * (proc->threadcount + 1));
+		if(!tmp){
+			freethread(thread);
+			return NULL;
+		}
+		proc->threads = tmp;
+		++proc->threadcount;
+	}
+	
+	thread->priority = prio;
+	arch_regs_setupuser(thread->regs, ip, stack, true);
+
+	if(run)
+		queue_add(&queues[prio], thread);
+
+	return thread;
+
+}
+
 thread_t* sched_newkthread(void* ip, size_t stacksize, bool run, int prio){
 	thread_t* thread = allocthread(NULL, THREAD_STATE_WAITING, 0, stacksize);
 
@@ -195,3 +260,33 @@ void sched_init(){
 
 }
 
+void sched_runinit(){
+	
+	printf("Loading /sbin/init\n");
+
+	thread_t* thread = sched_newuthread(NULL, PAGE_SIZE*3, NULL, NULL, true, THREAD_PRIORITY_USER);
+
+	proc_t* proc = thread->proc;
+
+	proc->root = vfs_root();
+	proc->cwd  = vfs_root();
+	proc->pid  = 1;
+
+	vnode_t* node;
+	size_t ret = vfs_open(&node, vfs_root(), "sbin/init");
+	if(ret){
+		printf("Open failed: %s\n", strerror(ret));
+		_panic("Could not load init", 0);
+	}
+	char** argv = {"/sbin/init", ""};
+	char** env  = {""};
+
+	ret = elf_load(thread, node, argv, env);
+	
+	if(ret){
+		printf("ELF load error: %s\n", strerror(ret));
+		_panic("Could not load init", 0);
+	}
+	switch_thread(thread);
+	
+}