Sender: kentb AT vnd DOT tek DOT com
Message-ID: <3332D791.794BDF32@vnd.tek.com>
Date: Fri, 21 Mar 1997 10:46:41 -0800
From: Kent Byerley <kentb AT vnd DOT tek DOT com>
Organization: Tektronix Inc.,  Beaverton, OR
MIME-Version: 1.0
To: opendos-developer AT mail DOT tacoma DOT net
Subject: Re: 32bit BIOS
References: <199703211724 DOT SAA13023 AT magigimmix DOT xs4all DOT nl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

yeep wrote:
> 
> Some guy posted something about why the bios creators (Award, AMI) don't
> create 32bit bioses.
> Well It just occured to me, that that's because the CPU's natural state is
> 16bit.
> So first the CPU should boot up (or start or whatever) in 32bit mode, then
> the bios can be 32bit and we shall all be happy.
> Ofcourse....unless the bios sets the CPU in 32bit mode, before doing
> anything else....hmmmmm...
> 
>         Yeep
> 
> (Please correct me if I'm wrong about the CPU's natural state, I got this
> info from a rather weird text file)
The CPU will start up in 16 bit mode, but there is no reason not to
switch to 32bit mode after
POST has completed.  Of course this would have to switch back to 16 bit
mode before booting
unless the boot code was 32bit.
--
Kent Byerley               |  We are born naked,
kentb AT vnd DOT tek DOT com          |  wet and hungry.
Tektronix, Beaverton, Or   |  Then things get worse.