Hi Jims, > whitepaper from AMI on the BIOS-to-UEFI transition (very informative). > http://www.ami.com/support/downloadwp.cfm?DLFile=AMI_UEFI_Transition_Whitepaper_PUB.pdf&FileID=1387 > UEFI is taking over and slowly(?)/fastly(?) transitioning out BIOS > functionality. > This could either mean a transition period for freedos, or the end of freedos.
Probably not - UEFI is modular, and I think for example Coreboot has a free open source module to provide the classic BIOS stuff on top: > I dunno, maybe DOS just can't be DOS anymore UNLESS it can supply BIOS > INT13H, INT10H, > and INT21H functionality even on top of UEFI... Well int21 is done by the DOS kernel, but for the rest, you are right. There was a nice FAQ item about required BIOS functions, but while I search for that, you can read: www.dewassoc.com/kbase/legacy.htm legacy free personal computers Ah here we are... FAQ item 277, followup 1: > From: zee_shan56 yahoo > Date: Tue Jul 20 13:21:36 2004 > Subject: Will FreeDOS work on a custom embedded system based on 80c188XL ? > > Hi ! > > While working on a final-year project of embedded system, i have > designed a system with 80c188XL (controller version of 8088) > processor. Although it uses the same instruction set of the standard > 8088, there are a few differences in Interrupts. I have written a > BIOS code that mimics the normal XT BIOS interrupts, with a few > exceptions / differences. Can i port FreeDOS to work with htis > project ? There is no floppy or HD interface - only Flash memory > (256KB) and SRAMs (256KB) - which can be increased to 640K cumulative. > From: eric * coli.uni-sb.de > Date: Tue Jul 20 18:07:25 2004 > Subject: Sounds good, XT BIOS should be enough > > Hi! Nice project. FreeDOS uses: > - some 0x40[xx] values to get system information, > I assume. > - int 0x11 and 0x12 to get more system information > (those two are trivial to implement) > - int 0x14 / 0x17 to access COM/LPT ports > ... but only IF they exist > - int 0x19 to reboot (IF you care for that) > > - int 0x13, at least functions 0,1,2,3,8, to access > a disk (feel free to simulate one from Flash, read > MEMDISK source code -> SYSLINUX) to learn more) > ... and some more functions which you should make > dummy, so that FreeDOS knows that there are no > harddisks or lowlevel-format or changeable media... > - int 0x16, at least functions 0,1,2, for keyboard > input. Make sure to tell FreeDOS that there is no > support for more than those functions. > - int 0x10 for text screen output, most important > function 0x0e, TTY. Only the boot menu is really > interested in more fancy stuff like cursor movement. > - int 0x1a to communicate with the real time clock, > IF one exists. Make sure to support 0x40[0x6c] timer > tick count and int 0x1c calls, preferrably also the > int 0x08 calls, for timing related things. > > - int 0x1e DATA should reflect the geometry of your > simulated floppy > > I hope this lists most connections between FreeDOS > and the BIOS. An 8086/8088 CPU is good enough. > You will want to avoid programs which access PC BIOS > or PC hardware directly (common for DOS programs...). > > So the NONTRIVIAL things which you need are a simple > clock function, keyboard, text "display" and "floppy" > access. The rest should be fairly easy because you > already told that you do have some kind of XT BIOS. > > DOS will use interrupts mostly in 0x20..0x2f range, > and it is possible that some IRQs in 0x08..0x0f > range are assumed to exist. CPU exceptions in 0..6 > range can be used, but your CPU is 808x anyway. > CPU exceptions in 7..0x1f range (386...) are not > really needed. Some interrupts in 0x30..0xff range > will be used by DOS programs. DOS uses RAM at > 0x50:0 ... 0x70:0 .... As you have no XMS/HMA, you > will not be able to load most of DOS kernel (40k) > to HMA and most of FreeCOM shell (50-200k) swapping > to XMS. DOS data (10-20k) and BUFFERS will be in > low RAM too, but you can use a very small BUFFERS > value and STACKS=0,0 because you have only a virtual > disk anyway. > > Try using a smaller shell instead of FreeCOM, or > use the KSSF-swapping FreeCOM variant. > Check the RomOS homepage for inspiration. > > Please keep us updated about your progress, > e.g. by visiting our IRC channel (see the > mailing lists page on FreeDOS.org). > > Eric That said, does anybody know why the FAQ shows no data? http://fd-doc.sourceforge.net/faq/cgi-bin/index.cgi http://fd-doc.sourceforge.net/faq/cgi-bin/viewdir.cgi?dir=incoming http://fd-doc.sourceforge.net/faq/cgi-bin/viewfaq.cgi?faq=incoming/277 ... Maybe the data directory is gone due to some SF upgrade which changed the directory layout in incompatible ways? Hints welcome! Eric ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ BlackBerry® DevCon Americas, Oct. 18-20, San Francisco, CA The must-attend event for mobile developers. Connect with experts. Get tools for creating Super Apps. See the latest technologies. Sessions, hands-on labs, demos & much more. Register early & save! http://p.sf.net/sfu/rim-blackberry-1 _______________________________________________ Freedos-devel mailing list Freedos-devel@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-devel
