"lewis lei �P�P" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
> Dear sir:
> i am very interesting in your project.
> i have some question about LinuxBIos:
> 1) when my computer use LinuxBios, can i install dos or window in my
> computer? or only it can work in linux?
To date, dos and windows support has not been implemented. It could
be it just hasn't been.
> 2) in your linux Bios, we need to compile a linux kernel into the linux
> bios, what is the exactly use of this kernel? (just for power on self test
> ??),how about the tnterruptvector table?
For the boot loader, to load a normal image from someplace.
> 3) when design a linuxBios, what is the flow chart of it?see the following
> flow chart:
>
> a) the bios use asscmbly to write some code to initialize the mother broad
> and check the memory.
> b) Jump to the linux kernel for power on self test.
> c) jump to the first sector of IDE and load the bootloader into the memory
> such as 'lilo'.
> d) the linuxBios jobs finish now!
> am i right or wrong.????Please correct me!
You aren't wrong but you have a very simplified idea of what is
going on. The terms used by the current BIOSes are historical not accurate.
For linuxBIOS the steps look like:
- In assembly you initialize and turn on RAM, and you initialize
any other hardware you need to assist in initializing the RAM.
We don't test the memory because quick memory tests never fail,
on ram that has passed even the most cursory quality control.
- In C you initialize onboard devices, enough so that the linux kernel
can use them.
- You load the linux kernel (ideally from flash) and you let it
handle the machine from then on.
Error checking when initializing devices is as close to a Power
On Self test as we come. But that is all that is reasonable to do.
Any device that passes the most cursory of checks needs a very
complete and lengthy test to see if there is anything wrong with it.
And having a machine that takes at least 3 or 4 days to boot is not
desireable. And if you can boot something you can run those tests
from a normal operating system.
Eric
