From owner-freebsd-hackers Wed Jul 31 13:13:12 2002 Delivered-To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.FreeBSD.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 7C8C437B400 for ; Wed, 31 Jul 2002 13:13:09 -0700 (PDT) Received: from boise.neuroflux.com (ns1.neuroflux.com [204.228.228.84]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 0161A43E3B for ; Wed, 31 Jul 2002 13:13:09 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from ryans@gamersimpact.com) Received: from boise.neuroflux.com (localhost.neuroflux.com [127.0.0.1]) by boise.neuroflux.com (8.12.5/8.11.6) with ESMTP id g6VKDCAT005098 for ; Wed, 31 Jul 2002 16:13:12 -0400 (EDT) (envelope-from ryans@gamersimpact.com) X-Authentication-Warning: boise.neuroflux.com: Host localhost.neuroflux.com [127.0.0.1] claimed to be boise.neuroflux.com Received: from localhost (ryans@localhost) by boise.neuroflux.com (8.12.5/8.12.4/Submit) with ESMTP id g6VKD684005095 for ; Wed, 31 Jul 2002 16:13:06 -0400 (EDT) (envelope-from ryans@gamersimpact.com) X-Authentication-Warning: boise.neuroflux.com: ryans owned process doing -bs Date: Wed, 31 Jul 2002 16:13:06 -0400 (EDT) From: Ryan Sommers X-X-Sender: ryans@boise.neuroflux.com To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Subject: Assembly Language and writing bootstraps? Message-ID: <20020731160551.Q5057-100000@boise.neuroflux.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII X-Virus-Scanned: by amavisd-milter (http://amavis.org/) Sender: owner-freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Precedence: bulk List-ID: List-Archive: (Web Archive) List-Help: (List Instructions) List-Subscribe: List-Unsubscribe: X-Loop: FreeBSD.ORG Greetings, I haven't posted here much but I've been watching the list for awhile. I recently became interested in researching how bootstraps, kernels and the basic systems of the computer work. One project I would like to mess with is to just write a very VERY basic "operating system" that would just boot a machine (from disk of course). The only purpose for this project is educational experiences along the way. I have a few questions though for those of you familiar with the topic; I realize there might be better places to go for these answers but seeing that I like using FreeBSD as my development platform this seemed like a good place to start. Where is the "entry point" in the kernel source? Some place that I can just start looking to read through some source and take a peak at the inner workings of the FreeBSD kernel. Is assembly language required or recommended for writing a bootstrap? (All my work will be on x86 architecture seeing as I don't own any other types unless you count countless TI calculators). Most of the ASM information I've been reading always seems to say assembly isn't needed anymore but it doesn't say if you can write a 512 byte bootstrap in C. Are there any good references out there for FreeBSD Kernel Hacking? Assembly language on x86? Bootstraps, how -- Ryan "leadZERO" Sommers Gamer's Impact President ryans@gamersimpact.com ICQ: 1019590 AIM/MSN: leadZERO -= http://www.gamersimpact.com =- To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-hackers" in the body of the message