Multiboot Specification

Node: BIOS device mapping techniques, Next: Example OS code, Previous: Notes on PC, Up: Examples

### BIOS device mapping techniques

Both of these techniques should be usable from any PC operating system, and neither require any special support in the drivers themselves. This section will be flushed out into detailed explanations, particularly for the I/O restriction technique.

The general rule is that the data comparison technique is the quick and dirty solution. It works most of the time, but doesn't cover all the bases, and is relatively simple.

The I/O restriction technique is much more complex, but it has potential to solve the problem under all conditions, plus allow access of the remaining BIOS devices when not all of them have operating system drivers.