From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S269033AbTGORtq (ORCPT ); Tue, 15 Jul 2003 13:49:46 -0400 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S269414AbTGORsu (ORCPT ); Tue, 15 Jul 2003 13:48:50 -0400 Received: from sj-iport-1-in.cisco.com ([171.71.176.70]:19848 "EHLO sj-iport-1.cisco.com") by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S269185AbTGORqq (ORCPT ); Tue, 15 Jul 2003 13:46:46 -0400 Reply-To: From: "Hua Zhong" To: , "'Riley Williams'" , "'linux-kernel'" Subject: RE: Linux boot code Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2003 11:01:33 -0700 Organization: Cisco Systems Message-ID: <04fc01c34afb$20854f00$743147ab@amer.cisco.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook, Build 10.0.4024 In-Reply-To: <3F13C6BA.80102@tiscalinet.it> Importance: Normal X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4910.0300 Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org How It Works: DOS Floppy Disk Boot Sector http://www.ata-atapi.com/hiwdos.htm#T8 > -----Original Message----- > From: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org > [mailto:linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org] On Behalf Of Koala GNU > Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2003 2:18 AM > To: Riley Williams; linux-kernel > Subject: Re: Linux boot code > > > Hi, Riley, > > thanks for your reply. > > I noticed the native boot code for floppy is not supported > any more. In > fact in the current code display a message and reboot the > machine after > the press of a key. > > But I am interested on how the old native boot code worked. > > Do you know if there is a particular reason why the boot > sector is moved > to 0x9000:0 (excuse me if I repeat the question, but I need > help on this)? > > I hope someone else can point me a site where is reported the > format of > the floppy parameter table at address 0x0:0x78. > > Thanks in advance and excuse me for this other post. > > Riley Williams wrote: > > >Hi. > > > > > I am looking at the boot code in bootsect.S and I have some doubt. > > > I tried to search the answers to my questions on > > > marc.theaimsgroup.com and on Google but I haven't found them. > > > >I know nothing about the former site, so can't comment thereon. > > > > > Probably these are newbie question but I'll appreciate if someone > > > of you help me. > > > >I'll do what I can. > > > > > 1) In the bootsect code the first thing that is done is to copy > > > the boot sector to 0x90000 and move the program count to > > > 0x9000, go. Why it is necessary move the code there? Is it not > > > possible continue the process from 0x7C00? > > > >Following moving the boot code there, the next step is to load the > >kernel image, either from 0x10000 (64k) or from 1M upwards, this > >being dependent on various factors. However, the boot sector holds > >several flags whose values are important AFTER the kernel image has > >been loaded, so is moved out the way first. > > > > > 2) Another step is to move the parameters table from 0x78:0 to > > > 0x9000:0x4000-12. What are the info contained in this table? > > > Can you send me a link to a site that specify these info? > > > Without these info I am not able to understand these three > > > line of code > > > > > > movb $36, 0x4(%di) # patch sector count > > > movw %di, %fs:(%bx) > > > movw %es, %fs:2(%bx) > > > >That area of memory contains parameters configured by the BIOS of > >the machine in question. I would suspect it's the parameters for > >the floppy drives, and the code that follows is presumably that > >used to determine how many sectors per track the floppy in /dev/fd0 > >actually has. > > > > > Thanks in advance for your help > > > >No problem. > > > >Best wishes from Riley. > >--- > > * Nothing as pretty as a smile, nothing as ugly as a frown. > > > >--- > >Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. > >Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > >Version: 6.0.500 / Virus Database: 298 - Release Date: 10-Jul-2003 > > > >- > >To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe > linux-kernel" in > >the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org > >More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html > >Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/ > > > > > > > > > - > To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe > linux-kernel" in > the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org > More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html > Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/ >