PC BIOS chip data structure

[xuyinghui]

pc data structure

I want to know the structure of the content of PC BIOS chip, i.e. the locations and structures of instructions area、data area and else .
How can I find these information?

 

[cherrytart]

the rawest form of this data would be the source code


**broken link removed**

I might be able to provide more information from my Phoenix Technical Reference Manual, which is woefully ancient

 

[xuyinghui]

Award source code is so complex for me

I'm puzzled about what to start to study.Is there a brief PC bios content discription?
Can you send me a copy of your phenix manual?

my email: xyh@c166.org

 

[artem]

I suppose that there is no strict data structure and layout connected to BIOS based code .
If I am not worng BIOS has defined by its standard which clarify interface to BIOS and it is functions . Each BIOS should be specific to the motherboard it is placed on .
General standard for BIOS or at least link could be found from PC guide line .
PC Guide line is couple of standards ruling PC internal architecture . Go to the Microsoft site and begin search . But information is spread over different manufactures (Intel , IBM ...).

 

[artem]

Follow links from
**broken link removed**
documents

 

[artem]

Finally take it at

**broken link removed**

 

[xuyinghui]

What I meant is simply to assert my instructions into BIOS chip. So I should know where is the instruction area in BIOS chip. Should I refer to x86 CPU user manual?

 

[cherrytart]

there are a number of fixed location data structures in a pc bios chip. the bios id string, the hard drive descriptor table, the compatibilty segment and, i would guess, the plug and play descriptors.

this pdf talks about some of these fields:
https://www.amd.com/epd/desiging/evalboards/14.elansc400/bios/syssoft/manual/ssman.pdf

the compatibilty segment contains jumps to various bios routines and data structures

I don't believe the book i have is worth scanning, it is 12 years old and makes no mention (for instance) of plug and play.

 

[xuyinghui]

That is a wonderful technical reference for me.
Thanks a lot!

 

[stanleysan]

maybe the following is helpful
https://www.openbios.org/

 

[dainis]

look Ralf Brown's Interrupt List:
https://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~ralf/files.html