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From: guyd@austin.ibm.com (Guy Dawson)
Subject: Re: 386/486 motherboard ROM BIOS & 386BSD ( was Re: [REPOST] FDC DRIVER )
Originator: guyd@pal500.austin.ibm.com
Sender: news@austin.ibm.com (News id)
Message-ID: <C3Mpv3.19y7@austin.ibm.com>
Date: Tue, 9 Mar 1993 16:01:50 GMT
References: <C30zxt.CJD@sugar.neosoft.com> <1993Mar4.103308.24945@marie.uucp> <C3E4nx.60o@sugar.neosoft.com> <1993Mar9.080706.14422@netcom.com>
Organization: IBM Austin
Keywords: FDC floppy device driver dependencies
Lines: 36
In article <1993Mar9.080706.14422@netcom.com>, pascal@netcom.com (Richard Childers) writes:
>
> Am I correct in understanding that 386BSD does _not_ use on-board BIOS ? And
> if so, does this imply that there is a market for BIOS-less 386/486 mother-
> -boards ? Or is it a less-than-complete operating system that relies upon
> additional firmware, the which of utilization allows for ( apparently ) smal-
> -ler kernels, et caetera ?
>
> It would be nice to not have a dependency upon BIOS, for numerous reasons.
>
386BSD does need the BIOS to bootstrap it... Once the kernel has been started
then the BIOS is no longer needed.
There is always going to be a requirement for some ROM on the motherboard
for boot strapping. There are lots of things in the BIOS that are not needed
so you could produce a cut down BIOS to do the required boot strapping but
I don't think it's worth it...
Every OS needs some form of bootstrap loader - MS-DROSS to MVS to Unix!
>
> -- Richard
Guy
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guy Dawson - Hoskyns Group Plc.
guyd@hoskyns.co.uk Tel Hoskyns UK - 71 251 2128
guyd@austin.ibm.com Tel IBM Austin USA - 512 838 3377
Support CERT - (Craig shergold Emergency Response Team)
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guy Dawson - Hoskyns Group Plc.
guyd@hoskyns.co.uk Tel Hoskyns UK - 71 251 2128
guyd@austin.ibm.com Tel IBM Austin USA - 512 838 3377