Kernel Architecture [64 bit]

[binaryb...@gmail.com]

Hi all.I was wondering,would it be possible for us to make an x64 kernel for FreeDOS?As technology advances most PCs run 64 bit hardware and software.Having a 64 bit kernel would allow FreeDOS to read memory from more modern hardware.It would be interesting to see this,as DOS runs natively in 16 bits.

[Maarten]

Hi,


it would be kind of cool, this also means we need to develop our own stuff (which would be funny to do).
What we also could do is first 32-bit and after that 64-bit. Then we have 2 architectures. that would be nice too?

on the other hand though, I think we lose the goal of the project. Night DOS Kernel will never need more then 4GB of RAM. And I heard that 64-bit doesn't support 16-bit (especially the processors). But we try to get 100% DOS compatibillity. I don't know.
I also think that we do overkill if we use 64-bit, we only have a command shell and maybe a graphical file manager. The're will never be a program - in 64 bit - That supports DOS mode (tell me if i'm wrong). I don't know all of the advanteges of 64-bit, but I seriously think it isn't needed.

Maarten

[Antony]

Hi,

It would be very possible to make a 64-bit DOS, but aside from the DOS commands we are all too familiar with, what applications would run on this 'DOS'?

From my understanding, long mode (64-bit mode) introduces a lot of incompatibilities that make it impossible to run traditional DOS applications. The other issue is that a lot of DOS software is at this point abandonware and there is no source available, aside from the open source stuff, so there would be no way to compile against newer libraries to add functionality. Majority of the DOS programs that exist were written to take advantage of the "single tasking" OS an in most cases are written to access hardware directly, which is a no-no in 32- and 64-bit programming models.

[binaryb...@gmail.com]

Sorry for the inactivity,I've been busy.

Using an x64 architecture would be very interesting,indeed.It would using modern hardware (graphics rendering,multitasking,etc) in a close-to hardware environment.As for the purpose of an OS of this type,it has many possibilities.As of right now,it's just an experimental idea,to see what it might actually reveal.

Combining 16 bits and 64 bits is nearly impossible.But if they were to be combined into one smart OS that could read both bits.it would revolutionize the way OSes are built.

Just an idea that I've had in my mind for quite some time.

Regards,Jayden

[binaryb...@gmail.com]

Sorry for the typos.Can't go back and edit my post. :-)

[Maarten]

Actually you can... ;)

(arrow near the two/one reply arrow(s) and then a list appears... As long as it are your post you can edit them)
Otherwise you can let one of the managers do it for you.

[Maarten]

Op vrijdag 11 maart 2016 19:11:32 UTC+1 Jayden wrote:

Sorry for the inactivity,I've been busy.

No problem!
 

Using an x64 architecture would be very interesting,indeed.It would using modern hardware (graphics rendering,multitasking,etc) in a close-to hardware environment.As for the purpose of an OS of this type,it has many possibilities.As of right now,it's just an experimental idea,to see what it might actually reveal.

Combining 16 bits and 64 bits is nearly impossible.But if they were to be combined into one smart OS that could read both bits.it would revolutionize the way OSes are built.

Well what we could do is have a sort of virtual machine...
But I think we first need to finish 32-bit, that's the plan so we should make/do that first. Maybe after that we could do this. But if we get more people helping us, we might could split up the team. But we are just with 5 now, and the chance we get more people is small..

Maarten

[binaryb...@gmail.com]

Oh wow.Didn't know I could delete them.Thanks.

As for the amount of DEVS/Developers,no worries!I was just tossing an interesting idea around,that could hold some potential.

-Jayden

[Mercury Thirteen]

On Thursday, February 4, 2016 at 7:37:17 AM UTC-5, Jayden wrote:

Hi all.I was wondering,would it be possible for us to make an x64 kernel for FreeDOS?As technology advances most PCs run 64 bit hardware and software.Having a 64 bit kernel would allow FreeDOS to read memory from more modern hardware.It would be interesting to see this,as DOS runs natively in 16 bits.

Can it be done? Yes, we could make a super kernel like that, with the catch that we lose hardware support for not only running both 16 and 32 bit code, but for switching back and forth between them as well. Since this project is designed to be a drop-in replacement for the traditional FreeDOS kernel, we can't do that because then all classic DOS apps break. The only other major reason for using Long Mode is to support exorbitantly huge amounts of memory, which we can do anyway (albeit not quite as exorbitant, but still more than 4GB) using 4MB pages under PAE in Protected Mode.

Nice idea, though!