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I planed to use the FFS for my own OS but there's some trouble

1st:

I've no real "Kernel".
My "OS" boots up and writes a text on (to?) the screen.

Ok but now lets start:

Problem

a) Hardwaredetection
I planed to write the complete hardwaredetection in ASM (complete? hm...may be not )
So: Thats my idea for HDD detecting:

input:  AH = 15h    DL = HDD-Number ( 80h first, 81h second HDD and so on)
output: CF = error (device not aviable)   AH = Errorcode sets by CF register

I hope it will work (all extremlz theoretic for me)    

b) How to format the HDD?

How do i format the HDD with FFS?
I looked into the BSD Source but I'm not good enough for the C-Code .(

I think i've to include the following (? corect? equal) files:

newfs
label
chkfs (or so)
fdformat
FFS (the filessystem...bit and not easy....for me)

c) How did i boot from HDD?

Yes...

After labeling, formating and creating of the filesystem it should be possible to boot from the Harddisk. .)


Also:

Problem a and c is easy (i could do it myself) but B is a hard problem form me .(
Because i've no idea how to include the FFS (and how to format ).
But why FFS and not an "easy" FS like FAT32? Because i know 2-3 persons who will help me if the little "OS" is booting from HDD (with ffs).


It's all difficoult but it makes fun

I hope there is somebody out there who will held a little boy from germany by implementation of this "nice" Filesystem


good night

mfg. Sebastian Rother


p.s.

Sorry for any mistakes in the text...
i go to bed now... i hope you understand .)

I hope I can be usefull to this problem, but I'll try...

Well, if i were for you i would make the kernel first...Before putting it
on a harddisk. I mean : you'll probably have to adjust it all the time so
get an emulator.(saves lotsa reboots And if you really want to go for a
try I would advise you to put it on a bootdisk first, lotsa easier and safer...

To put it on the bootdisk, you should create an imagefile with all the compiled information on it. (must be flat executable of course) With some programming you can even build up the filesystem in the imagefile.
Now you have the imagefile you can put it on the bootdisk. It should written blindly, not copied...if you're using Windows you could use rawrite(found on any linuxinstalling CD) or if you're using Linux there's some command which i can't recall...

After some time you'll probably want to run your OS on the hdd, of course you'll
need a bootloader...plenty of good ones out there...

create a new partition with a partition manager like fips(linux again) or
some other partitioningprogram. Formatting this partition should be done
manually, so i hope that FFS has some formatting tool for it or you'll be writing a formattool yourself.

hope i've been some help

if the sign says don't feed the bears, boy they aint kiddin,
DS