On Sun, 12 Apr 1998 12:17:10 +1000 (EST), Db wrote:
>I read somewhere, that the linux
>kernel was largely BIOS independent, wherein all the system really need to
>know, was where that crucial bootsector of your harddrive was.
I believe this is true of any "protected mode" operating systems.
OS/2 executes this way, and some parts of Win 3.11, and most of Win
95 (I think). I believe this is why "drivers" are so important to
these operating systems (as compared to DOS), since they need to
replace functions which previously had been embedded in ROM in the
driver, since real mode BIOS calls are not (easily) made from
protected mode.
You are right about Linux only using the BIOS to boot. That is why
the disk size limit (1024 cylinders) only applies during boot, since
it is a BIOS limitation and is circumvented after Linux switches to
protected mode.
J R Casey Bralla
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Chief Nerd in Residence
NerdWorld
Cheraw, SC USA
(803) 537-8822 Voice
(803) 537-8465 Fax
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