2 question to linux experts

[Davit]

Hi all,
I have two questions to Linux experts,
1. Is it possible to call some BIOS function from Linux Kernel ?
I know that BIOS code is written only for real-mode execution, anyway, do u know some trick to call them ?

[Ektich]

I myself am not a Linux Developer, but will presume that Linux Kernel will not let you call any interrupts (BIOS functions as you call them) directly, but will provide with an API for most (if not all) of the cases. But then again, if you're writing low-level device driver you have to call BIOS interrupts (again, this is my asusmption, I'm not a Linux developer). So it all depends on what exaclty you're trying to do.

That's one question. What was the second one?

Ektich

[Davit]

Of Course you can't call BIOS interrupts from Kernel, because the Kernel works already in Protected Mode and disables these kind of interrupts ...

I think the only way is to switch to real mode (with saving processor state), to call the BIOS function, and again swtich to PM (with restoring proc state) ...