Question About Hardware and Chipset

SolidSnake · Post by **SolidSnake** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 7:31 am

I'm learning to create some routine to communicate with hardware. And it seem that much of work is done by ICH chipset. I downloaded Intel ICH reference and it list some useful ports. But when I'm using another motherboard chipset, will the port number still the same? I'm searching for the same reference in VIA website, but I can't find them. I know that PIC ports and keyboard ports will still the same in other computer. What about other? Are they any way to query what hardware installed in the computer? [/quote]

JAAman · Post by **JAAman** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 8:53 am

no, unfortunately, the ports and how to use them will be different for each chipset (though there will likely be similarities between different chipsets from the same manufacturer)

the other companies documentation will be much harder to get (most companies other than MS and Intel dont give away the information freely), some companies charge for documents, many will require you to sign a NDA, and some require you to prove you are a commercial company with a particular reason to need those documents

the only things that will be the same on each computer is older technologies that were in the original computers (such as PIT, PIC, keyboard, standard VGA (max 640x480 resolution at 16 colors), etc)

on the plus side, the intel chipsets are the most popular

Candy · Post by **Candy** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 10:23 am

Realtek also answers mails albeit in a slightly incorrect english. They do give out the docs that aren't on their site to non-company bound people.

SolidSnake · Post by **SolidSnake** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 3:21 am

Thanks for the answer... I think that mean I won't be able to communicate with some hardware in my computer coz I don't have the specification.

Btw, most hardware come with Windows driver in PE format. Do you think if I dissasembly the driver, will I get some usable information such as how to use the port/memory-mapped I/O? Or is it not that simple?

sancho1980 · Post by **sancho1980** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 4:43 am

yeah
afaik there are people out the who are actually doing this

but i think you have to be a rather good programmer to make sense of disassembled drivers

Pavia · Post by **Pavia** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 6:38 am

in VIA website, but I can't find them

I try find, and find VIA doc. But not last.

Computer have legacy device(KBD,PIC,PIT, DMA and etc.). You can find doc on this.

On LAN chip you can found doc, because all Lan chip compatible with Realtek.

Soundcard - Sound Blater, AC 97 codec, other. On fist two can found doc.

On TV tuner, you can found doc.

And so on.

Bat you can't found video card doc, except VGA.
I know about people who disasm video driver.