Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!codas!karthur
From: karthur@codas.att.com (Kurt_R_Arthur)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: IBM PC hacker's guide sought
Message-ID: <1514@codas.att.com>
Date: 11 Jan 88 15:04:20 GMT
References: <7734@sunybcs.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T, Altamonte Springs, FL
Lines: 33

In article <7734@sunybcs.UUCP> ugfailau@sunybcs (Fai Lau) writes:
> 
> 	Hi, I'm looking for a bible for hacking IBM PC's.
> I don't know which books are good so I need recommendations.
> I saw Peter Norton's programmer's Guide for the IBM PC,
> is that any good? I need a book that contains the entire
> PC architect, the specifications, the system calls, the
> memory map, the port designs, etc., including data
> storage device, video adaptor, and in a word, everything.
> It's ok not to have a circuits diagram, as I don't want
> to hack down to the hardware level (soldering iron?).
> But else I need something that's truly comprehensive.
> 	Also, does anyone know of a good assembler?
> I have the microsoft version, but that's about it.
> Is there any dis-assembler in the market? How good is it?

The ABSOLUTE bible for any machine is its Technical Refefernce Manual.  I
wholeheartedly recommend its purchase for (old PC) BIOS listings, etc (PS/2's
do not have the BIOS listings in the Tech Ref).

The assembler you have (if version 5.0) is the optimum assembler (read: best
supported by third parties) for PCs.  No need to change to another.

Several disassemblers are available from BBS and through the "Shareware Lib-
raries" that advertise in the various computer rags.  I have used one called 
"asmgen" which works well.  If you are looking for a really cheap disassembler,
you already own a couple in "debug" and "codeview" (or symdeb if MASM 3.0).

There are several commercial disassemblers on the market, but I am unfamiliar
with their prices, attributes, etc. 

Kurt Arthur
Software Services of Florida, Inc.