Re: [Etherboot-developers] image file format and BIOS use

[Markus G. <ma...@gu...>]

> I think I can handle the needs of the Etherboot code itself, but it
> looks like the mknbi-linux program prepends code which uses BIOS calls
> to the linux kernel image.  (Please correct me if I'm wrong, I haven't
> studied it thoroughly yet.)  I would prefer to avoid the extra BIOS
> support if possible.

If I remember correctly, there really shouldn't be that many BIOS
calls in that code. Off the top of my head you have:

 - calls to output messages to the screen; you can probably remove
   those.

 - calls to determine the maximum memory size. Since you know your
   hardware, you can either hardcode this value or you can provide
   your own code to determine the memory size.

 - code to move the ramdisk image around in extended memory. Since
   the code executes in real mode, we have to ask the BIOS to do this
   for us. You can either remove support for ramdisks, or you can
   manipulate the memory descriptors yourself and then write your
   own code for moving the image.

I believe, that's it. I am sure, somebody will correct me if I am
wrong.


Markus

-- 
Markus Gutschke                                Resonate, Inc.
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