Generic Boot and then 2nd file execute with FLOPPY or CD.

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bitshifter

Joined: 04 Dec 2007
Posts: 796
Location: Massachusetts, USA

bitshifter 06 Oct 2010, 00:22

Hmm, i see it hitting the error every time (in my head)

Code:

int $13                         ; Read Disk Sector(s) into Memory 
.Exit: 
        ; this code only executes when an error occurs

06 Oct 2010, 00:22

bitRAKE

Joined: 21 Jul 2003
Posts: 4060
Location: vpcmpistri

bitRAKE 06 Oct 2010, 14:42

If there is an error in the code spacing or sector count, then it might always .Exit. Seeing it work on QEMU 1.1 has me doubting there could be such an error. Rather the error is in the BIOS support for loading multiple sectors through INT 13/02. I've seen some BIOS's limited to seven sectors. So, I know this is not a general solution - just an extrapolation of the trick. I've used two emulators and one real machine - only QEMU works - the others fail to load sufficient sectors (resulting in a fall through to .Exit).

If I was in sufficient desire to have the code working I'd remove the spacing and load the code higher -- keeping the size under the seven sector limit I'm currently aware of. No such desire presents itself.

06 Oct 2010, 14:42

janequorzar

Joined: 11 Sep 2010
Posts: 60

janequorzar 06 Oct 2010, 16:56

I am starting to think this is a segment alignment issue. I commented out the top line like soo..

Code:

org $7C00 - (16*STAGE0.Error..)

and I changed it to just plain

Code:

org $7C00

and it comes up but with a blank screen with the cursor about a 3rd of the way down. At this point it just hangs the system.

Just thought I would share this info.

06 Oct 2010, 16:56

bitRAKE

Joined: 21 Jul 2003
Posts: 4060
Location: vpcmpistri

bitRAKE 07 Oct 2010, 01:22

Bah, this is getting silly.

The first ORG only effects the .Error message segment:offset. That is why its selection is arbitrary - chosen such that the segment is equal to the string length. Nothing else in the code is changed by the ORG address. Very Happy

How could it possibly work (:in totality) if there were an alignment issue, lol. Wink

All I changed was the start address to 0000:7900 and it works everywhere:

Code:

format binary as "img"

; although beginning at address $7C00 it is not possible to know how every
; BIOS has chosen to segment CS:IP - could be $7C0:0 thru 0:$7C00.

        org $7C00 - (16*STAGE0.Error..) ; trick to save a byte
STAGE0:

; The choice of ES:BX for INT13/02 is important to get STAGE1.Entry aligned
; to STAGE0.Exit -- this is irrespective of memory needed by STAGE1.

        push STAGE1.SEG
        mov bx,STAGE1.OFF
        mov ax,$0200 + STAGE1.SECTORS   ; read 130,560 bytes or less
        mov cx,$0002                    ; CHS: 0/0/2
        mov dh,ch                       ; DL from BIOS Boot Specification/BAID
        pop es
        int $13                         ; Read Disk Sector(s) into Memory
.Exit:
        ; this code only executes when an error occurs

        cld                             ; maybe needed?
        mov si,.Error
        mov cx,.Error..
        mov ds,cx                       ; trick to save a byte
@@:     lodsb
        mov ah,$0E
        mov bh,$00
        int $10                         ; Teletype Output
        loop @B
        xchg ax,cx
        int $16                         ; Get Keystroke
        int $19                         ; Return to Bootstrap Loader

.Error \ ;  0123456789012345678901234567890123456789
        db 13,10
        db "Rather than silently hide the negative",13,10
        db "result which just occured, this message",13,10
        db "attempts to amuse the naive and inform",13,10
        db "the weary. The plain fact that execution",13,10
        db "did not proceed beyond the boot sector",13,10
        db "should now be most present in your mind.",13,10
        db 13,10
        db "--->   -->  -> > ERROR! < <-  <--   <---",13,10
        db 13,10
        db "Silly. I know.",13,10
        db "Some people need an alarmist display.",13,10
.Error.. = $ - .Error


        db $ and 1 dup 0 ; same as align 2
        dw (512-$+$$)/2 dup $AA55 ; pattern fill
;###############################################################################
;###############################################################################

org STAGE1.OFF
STAGE1:
        lss sp,[cs:.Entry+1]            ; set SS:SP
        cld
        push cs
        push cs
        pop ds
        pop es

        mov ax,$4F00
        mov di,.vBuf
        int $10                         ; Detecting VESA
        cmp ax,$004F
        jz  .VESA.Good

        mov si,.badVESA
        call .Print_DS_SI

        xor si,si
@@:     mov cx,256/16
        call .Print_Dump

        mov ah,$00                      ; Get Keystroke
        int $16
        jmp @B

        .badVESA db 'VESA: it no workie!',13,10,0

.VESA.Good:

        mov eax,dword [.vBuf]
        mov [.A],eax

        mov ax,[.vBuf.Version]
        add [.B],ah
        add [.B+2],al

        mov si,.dvbeib
        call .Print_DS_SI

        lds si,[.vBuf.OEMStringPtr]
        call .Print_DS_SI
        push cs
        pop ds
        mov si,.crlf
        call .Print_DS_SI

        lds si,[.vBuf.OEMVendorName]
        call .Print_DS_SI
        push cs
        pop ds
        mov si,.crlf
        call .Print_DS_SI

; decode flags and modes

        mov ah,$00                      ; Get Keystroke
        int $16
        mov ah,$00                      ; Get Keystroke
        int $16
        xor si,si
        jmp @B


.dvbeib:db "Dumping VBE InfoBlock",13,10
        db "---------------------",13,10
        db "Signature: "
.A:     db "xxxx",13,10
        db "Version:    "
.B:     db "0.0"
.crlf   db 13,10,0




        align 16
.vBuf                   db 'VBE2' ; 'VESA','VBE2'
.vBuf.Version           dw ?
.vBuf.OEMStringPtr      dd ?
.vBuf.Capabilities      dd ?
.vBuf.VideoModePtr      dd ?    ; seg:off
.vBuf.TotalMemory       dw ?    ; 64k blocks
  ; Added for VBE 2.0
.vBuf.OEMSoftwareRev    dw ?
.vBuf.OEMVendorName     dd ?
.vBuf.OEMProductName    dd ?
.vBuf.OEMProductRevPtr  dd ?
                        db 222 dup 0
.vBuf.OEMData           db 256 dup 0




;###############################################################################
        db $7C00 + (STAGE0.Exit - STAGE0) - $ dup -1
;###############################################################################
;  .LOAD = $7C00 - ($ - $$) + (STAGE0.Exit - STAGE0)
;  .LOAD = $1000
  .SEG = 0
  .OFF = $7900 ;; ONLY CHANGED LINE ;;
  .Entry:
        jmp .SEG:.OFF            ; set preferred CS:IP


;========================
; SOME LIBRARY FUNCTIONS:
;------------------------

@@:     mov ah,$0E
;        mov bh,$00
        int $10                         ; Teletype Output
.Print_DS_SI:
        lodsb
        test al,al
        jnz @B
        retn

.Print_DS.SI:                           ; Print Segmented Address
        mov ax,ds
        call .Print_AX
        mov ax,$0E00 + ':'
;        mov bh,$00
        int $10                         ; Teletype Output
        mov ax,si
.Print_AX:                              ; Print Hex Word
        xchg al,ah                      ; high byte first
        call .Print_AL
        rol ax,4
.Print_AL:                              ; Print Hex Byte
        call @F
        rol ax,4
@@:     push ax
        shr al,4
        cmp al,$0A
        sbb al,$69
        das 
        mov ah,$0E
;        mov bh,$00
        int $10                         ; Teletype Output
        pop ax
        retn

; ssss:oooo   00 11 22 33 44 55 66 77 88 99 AA BB CC DD EE FF   0123456789ABCDEF
; Display CX paragraphs starting at DS:SI
.Print_Dump:
        push cx
        call .Print_DS.SI

        mov ax,$0E00 + ' '
        int $10                         ; Teletype Output
        mov ax,$0E00 + '|'
        int $10                         ; Teletype Output
        mov ax,$0E00 + ' '
        int $10                         ; Teletype Output

        mov cx,16
@@:     lodsb
        call .Print_AL
        mov ax,$0E00 + ' '
;        mov bh,$00
        int $10                         ; Teletype Output
        loop @B

        mov ax,$0E00 + '|'
        int $10                         ; Teletype Output
        mov ax,$0E00 + ' '
        int $10                         ; Teletype Output

        push si
        std
        lodsb
        mov cx,16
@@:     lodsb
;        push cx
;        mov cx,1
        mov bx,$0004
        mov ah,$09
        int $10                         ; Teletype Output
;        pop cx
        loop @B
        cld
        pop si

        mov ax,$0E00 + 13
        int $10                         ; Teletype Output
        mov ax,$0E00 + 10
        int $10                         ; Teletype Output

        pop cx
        loop .Print_Dump

        retn





  .SECTORS = ($ - STAGE1 + 511)/512
  if .SECTORS > 255
    display "ERROR: Second stage is too large!",13,10
  end if

  ; pad to floppy size
  db 80*2*2*9*512 - ($-$$) - 512 dup (-1)

Please, let me know if this too fails to function. Or if further help is needed in reading the code. I know it's convoluted and non-linear - forgive me I was just playing around. Razz

07 Oct 2010, 01:22

janequorzar

Joined: 11 Sep 2010
Posts: 60

janequorzar 07 Oct 2010, 02:50

There you go, an alignment issue. Laughing

I knew it had something to do with segment:offset.. but wasn't sure what it was.

Thanks for clarifying this unsolved case.. Now I can finally sleep.. I know i'm getting old now.. sheesh... used to eat assembly for breakfast.. now its starting to make me fat.. lol

07 Oct 2010, 02:50

bitRAKE

Joined: 21 Jul 2003
Posts: 4060
Location: vpcmpistri

bitRAKE 08 Oct 2010, 03:17

Not much of assembly language has changed in 20 years - I'm sure you'll be back to your old self in no time. Might even become lean and mean in the process. Okay, too much optimism. Razz

08 Oct 2010, 03:17

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