Where to start ?

[csezol]

I know C, and Assembly ( Real Mode ) at a medium level, and Protected Mode at a very beginner one.. I have some ideas for an os, I'd like to implement them, but i dunno where to start.. ??? No, i don't want to start with a bootloader..

What should i write first ? Include files, or <<usual>> .C files ? I dunno. I've written some simple programs, where headers only contained #defines, and there were `round 2-3.. i dunno how does this work at bigger projects. Please help.. ( not this way: Go, work on a bigger project and experience! )
I'm ready to learn, and want to learn.. I have time

[falconfx]

Hello!

I'd suggest you to read the Bran's kernel tutorial: http://www.osdever.net/bkerndev/index.php?the_id=90

It's the simplest OSDev tutorial I've ever read. I myself used it to write my first kernel...

You should also get the Intel x86 bible, read and understand it.
You can surf the OSFAQ or other osdev-related sites to read some code-snippets.

And last but not least, don't forget to ask here for every problem!

Cheers,

falconfx

[Pype.Clicker]

I strongly suggest you get a look at the BareBones page on the FAQ too. And _please_, avoid using DJGPP. I know brendan uses it in its tutorial, but you're *really* better to use cygwin instead ...

[kataklinger]

Put your ideas on paper first (a like using UML), and as you are planning read documets, tutorials, specifications...
But to do this you'll need some experience, so try writting some protected mode code (entering pm, using paging...), just to know how stuff works in reality.

1. ideas = 24% of job
2. reading = 24% of job
3. planning = 24% of job
4. implementation = 24% of job
total: 96% (it can never be 100%)

[Enlight]

I'm currently following the same tutorial, and i find it really great. Meanwhile I found two bugs at this time, one happens only (AFAIK) while target is i-686-pc-gnu-linux (it defaults to -fno-leading-underscore).

The second one, I guess is target independant, and managing to fix it forced was my best coding experience at this time so I don't know if I must tell you what it is, but the puts function doesn't works if you follow strictly the tutorial.

[jason7007]

Hi,

Is the build batch file in Bran's Kernel Development will be correct for Cygwin?

If not , can someone convert it for Cygwin, please.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Cjmovie]

If you have cygwin properly setup it should work the same just fine...

[raywill]

avoid using DJGPP.

I am a beginner.Can you tell us why should avoid using DJGPP?

[Pype.Clicker]

avoid using DJGPP.

I am a beginner.Can you tell us why should avoid using DJGPP?

* it is fairly obsolete (requiring MS-DOS)
* it will be terribly slow to run in MS-Windows environment
* there have been number of reports like "i cannot get those files linked together" or "i cannot get ELF files produced" or whatever that were solved by using cygwin instead
* at numerous places, it still requires the DOS interface (for shell interaction, file names, etc), meaning that you'll still suffer limitations on command line length enforced 20 years ago.

cygwin will offer you basically the same tools (gcc, binutils, flex, yacc, nasm) plus a common unix environment (grep, cut, less, perl, etc.) that is suited for windows 9x and windows NT (and yes, windows XP, since that one is exactly like NT for that purpose).

[csezol]

I run slackware

[JAAman]

best thing you can do is get

[url=http://developer.intel.com/design/pentium4/manuals/index_new.htm#sdm_vol1]
## ---- ----- ------ Intel Manuals[/url]

and

[url=http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~ralf/files.html]
## ---- ----- RBIL[/url]


also the following websites have been very helpful:

[url=http://www.nondot.org/sabre/os/articles]
OSRC[/url]
[url=http://www.ata-atapi.com/]
ATA-ATAPI[/url]
[url=http://www.osdever.net/]
Boni-Fide OSdever[/url]
[url=http://www.osdev.org]
OSDev.org message board[/url]

(though it isn't as active as MT, and carbonbased -- one of the best over there -- has been posting here resently)

if you don't want to start with a bootloader, then get GRUB, and start from the example kernel, that way you have something to boot -- that always helps, then just keep adding to it

good luck!

[jason7007]

Hi,

I compiled Bran's Kernel Dev tutorial in Cygwin, but to no avail.
ld could not recognize the start.o format.

What's wrong with the build file or with link script?

Any help will be appreciated.

[Cjmovie]

Try changing:

Code: Select all

nasm -f aout -o start.o start.asm

to:

Code: Select all

nasm -f elf -o start.o start.asm

[csezol]

Can i also assemble into pe ? ( with nasm )

[Pype.Clicker]

nasm -hf should tell ... mine does.