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Starting the Kernel (NASM)
Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2004 4:32 pm
by AZZ
Hello. I've decided to dump the idea of making my own bootloader for now and use GRUB. So now I've started my kernel, in NASM, and I need some information about how to go about this. What should I use for the SCREEN OUTPUT, how, what is the best FS to use, etc. Any help is highly, highly, (highly x999) helpful as you know I'm a real noob. Also, I could use some linkz to info.
Thanx
(Look foward to the alpha release of D-OX for MS-DOS!)
Re:Starting the Kernel (NASM)
Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2004 4:41 pm
by Pype.Clicker
i guess you should find all the information you need about displaying text on screen on OSRC (see QuickLinkz). But basically, your screen is an array of bytes, with even bytes defining the ASCII code of the character to be displayed and odd bytes defining the background/foreground color of that character. So in order to put 'Hi' in white-on-blue on the screen you do
Code: Select all
mov [0xb8000],'H'
mov [0xb8001],0x1F
mov [0xb8002],'i'
mov [0xb8003],0x1F
I will not try to answer to your second question (what is the best FS to use), because it's merely a matter of taste and conviction. Reiser is the one i prefer and FAT the one i hate the most ... And none of the existing FSes really suit my wishes. For a floppy, FAT12 is almost a de-facto standard. For hard disks, i would be recommending FAT32 (for the errors) and EXT2 (for the ideas) to be studied. Keep NTFS and Reiser for later or prepare *lot* of Aqua Zelter...
Re:Starting the Kernel (NASM)
Posted: Thu Mar 04, 2004 3:50 pm
by AZZ
Thats exellent! ;D I'll probably use FAT for now (32) and switch to EXT2. I highly doubt that I'll try to make a custom FS, but that may come about. Thanx!
AZZ
