OSDev.org

Hey.
I'm a new programmer and I want to get into OS development. I've been looking all over the web for how tos and tutorials, but all I've found are code samples with few explanations. Does any one know of any books or links on thwe internet that will give me a good solid intro to OS development?
Thanks!

you arnt going to get much as for 'how to OSdev', because most everything is a decision you will have to make -- however, there are a lot of tuturials availible for specific tasks within OSdev

most of OSdev is about research -- do lots of research before you start -- it will help

here are some of my most important links:

## ---- ----- ------ Intel Manuals
this is one of the most important resources you will ever find -- make sure you download all 3 of these (its generally recomended that you read vol 3 at least 2times before starting work -- particularly chapters 3,4,5, and 6) -- you can also order hard copies (recomended), but last i checked they were between revisions, and therefore unavailible (does anyone know when they will be availible again?)

AMD also has very similar set of books (though i dont have a link in my bookmarks), but iirc the AMD hardcopies are also currently unavailible (both sets of books contain almost identical information -- mostly differing in layout and writing style)

## ---- ----- RBIL
this is an older, but still very usefull reference, containing a full discription of the BIOS ints as well as a list of common port and I/O assingments

Geezer
this is the homepage for one of the oldest and wisest of us OSdevers -- if he says it, its gospel truth -- he used to post on this board occasionaly, but i havent seen him since the redesign
almost everyone quotes or references him or his source eventually (particularly when working on mouse drivers -- his are the best know serial mouse drivers)

BonaFide OS Dev
this site contains alot of useful tuturials -- especially the memory managment tuts

ATA-ATAPI
contains everything you could ever want to know (almost) about HDDs -- though you prob wont need this for a while

OSRC
contains lots of technical documents on a large variaty of topics

OS faq 2
contains a very extensive (and frequently updated -- unlike a lot of other sites) set of questions and answers


check out the last one first, as it might give you a better idea as to where to start -- just a hint- one of the first questions you will have to answer is: to use grub or not to use grub -- and dont listen to anyone who trys to tell you which way to go -- contrary to popular opinion (on both sides), both are valid options

i wont say which side im on (hopefully that will help avoid a flame war -- which is inevitable whenever the grub question is mentioned

Oh! Can you tell me something more about ordering hard copies of Intel manuals? Did I need to pay for them, or I can order them for free (I wish I could :])? Are they sending them to other countries too? For e.g. I am fom Poland (Europe). Regards, MrKaktus .

Use your university/work printer to print them

Lol, this is about 3000 pages?

the intel hard copies are completely FREE and they will ship them internationally (though i dont know details since i live in the USA)

i have ordered all 4 books several times my latest copies are revision 16

last i checked the hard copies were currently unavailible (they are prob being updated to include virtulization), but the link i gave seems to have changed -- it used to send you to a separate page for each book, but now it just downloads from that page?

also the message telling that the hard copies are currently unavailable is gone -- they may have moved the ordering again, or (more likely) its still unavailible


ps. does anyone know when they will be availible again? they gave a date at which they would say when, but i think that date is past, and the message is gone

They write that paper versions will be in May (I'm waiting ), and I think I can order them because there is a phone number for people outside USA (you were ordering them by phone right?).

no, i ordered them using the web -- there was (and prob will be again when they become availible) a link on the main page (the one i linked to) which was for ordering hard copies -- just fill out a form)