Linux only uses the 16bit-BIOS when booting while still in real mode (and
some
parts of the 32bit-BIOS like PCI, APM, ACPI even later when in protected
mode,
but this is not of interest here). If I understood correctly, the BIOS
basically
initializes the hardware according to the settings made in the BIOS setup
screen
and other parameters.
Linux, however, once again does device initilization after decompressing the
kernel
and before forking init.
My question now is:
- To which extent is the initialization stuff performed by the BIOS repeated
by Linux kernel?
- Which tasks really have to be performed by the BIOS? What does Linux rely
on?
- Could one imagine a BIOS which (basically) just initializes IDE,
loads LILO and jumps to it? (assuming that we boot from hda).
Thomas.
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Wed Feb 23 2000 - 21:00:27 EST