Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cwjcc!hal!nic.MR.NET!umn-cs!moll
From: moll@umn-cs.CS.UMN.EDU (Rick Moll)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Use of BIOS in 386 mode
Summary: Can it be done?
Keywords: 386 BIOS
Message-ID: <11223@umn-cs.CS.UMN.EDU>
Date: 20 Feb 89 07:23:11 GMT
Reply-To: moll@umn-cs.cs.umn.edu (Rick Moll)
Organization: CSci Dept., University of Minnesota, Mpls.
Lines: 17

Can a program running in paged/protected 386 mode still make use of
the BIOS routines, which are presumably 8086 code, to service I/O
interrupts?  If so, how is it done?

I have a CSS 80386 motherboard with an Award BIOS and some vanilla AT
type devices (EGA, Seagate 251, etc.).  I was thinking of playing with
some standalone 386 programs and wondered if I'd have to write my own
low-level I/O.

If it isn't possible for me to use the BIOS, where do I get
documentation on low-level operation of the I/O devices (register
addresses and layouts, function codes, etc.)?

I'll be grateful for any advice.
-- 
Richard J. Moll			...rutgers!umn-cs!moll 
				moll@umn-cs.cs.umn.edu