[ros-dev] HAL reorganisation

[Steven Edwards]

Hi Alex,

--- Alex Ionescu <ionucu at videotron.ca> wrote:
> tried, the kernel is still a bit architectural dependent.
> We might be able to make a single kernel handle both the xbox and a 
> normal pc, but IMO that would require special flags and complex code 
> that is if..then instead of a compile-time ifdef, and it would make
> our 
> code more bloated. I think having a separate kernel  binary is fine.

The xbox is a x86 pc lacking in a BIOS. ntoskrnl should not talk to the
bios directly in any case. Other than that its the same. There is one
PCI device you cant probe or it will lock the system. I think we can
take care of that issue via a 4 line patch because you can detect if
you are running on the xbox. (if memory serves) There is a extra PCI
device ID that is only present on the xbox so the HAL can search for
that device and then have logic built in to it to avoid the other
device. According to my converstation with the xbox Linux people that
really should be all we need aside from rippping out the direct
hardware access stuff in freeldr which GvG has already done. The hard
part will be keyboard and mouse, the xbox uses USB for that and we need
it anyway.

Sure it has the magic built in to the firmware and the OS to keep
people from running unsigned apps on it but there are three known ways
to boot off of it and I think we can do all of them now that freeldr
can chain load from grub.

Thanks
Steven



		
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