Re: protected mode, no computer

On 26 Nov 2007 09:42:21 -0500, Allan Adler <spamtrap@xxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

I have owned the book, "The 8086 Book", by Russell Rector and George Alexy,
for over 20 years and have recently begun to find it quite useful. One
aspect of the book that I particularly appreciate is the fact that it
is written from the standpoint of the 8086 chip itself, whereas every
other book I have seen that discusses 80*86 assembly language makes
at least some assumptions about the computer or operating system or
assembler the programmer is using.

I'd like to find a similar book that discusses protected mode programming
of higher 80*86 chips, but without any reference to whatever computer or
operating system or assembler the programmer might be using. I'm asking
for more than just a list of the instructions and brief descriptions of
their behavior and effects. Rector and Alexy also include pictures for
each operation, showing all the registers and relevant parts of memory
and how they participate in the execution of the instruction. They also
show how the instruction breaks down to binary code and how this code
varies with the options for the instruction (e.g. choice of register).
They also include technical remarks about each instruction in the discussion
of that instruction. Also tables of effects on flags, including by flag.
The book doesn't invest in motivation but just presents the technical
information in great detail in a very organized way. And that is just
chapter 3. Here is a table of contents.
Intro
Ch.1 Programming (14 pp.)
Ch.2 Some Program Examples (9 pp.)
Ch.3 8086 Assembly Language Instruction Set (286 pp.)
Ch.4 8086 Instruction Groups (70 pp.)
Ch.5 Software development (15 pp. explains what editors,debuggers,... do)
Ch.6 Examples of 8086 assembly language programming (14 pp.)
Ch.7 8086 Microprocessor Description (33 pp., chip, buses, timing,...)
Ch.8 Basic 8086 Design Single CPU (67 pp. max/min modes,timing,interrupts,
lots of block/circuit diagrams)
Ch.9 The Multibus (13 pp.)
Ch.10 Multiprocessor Configurations for the 8086 (13 pp., contrast with ch.8)
App.A 8086 insn set listed alphabetically (8 pp. of tables)
App.B 8086 insn set object codes in ascending numerical sequence(8pp.of tables)
App.C 8086 and 8088 family AC and DC characteristics and signal waveforms
(42 pp. of data sheets for 8086, 8086-1, 8088, 8282/8283, 8284,
8284A, 8286.8287, 8288)
App.D The 8088 CPU (4 pp. differences between 8088 and 8086)

So, I'd like a similar book that discusses higher 80*86 chips.

I downloaded the data *** for the AMD K6 Processor from the AMD website
and printed it out in the hope that it would be what I wanted. It does have
a lot of interesting information, and I'm enjoying reading it, but it is not
at all like the book of Rector and Alexy.
--
Ignorantly,
Allan Adler <ara@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
* Disclaimer: I am a guest and *not* a member of the MIT CSAIL. My actions and
* comments do not reflect in any way on MIT. Also, I am nowhere near Boston.


I don't know if it is still available, but "PC Magazine Programmer's
Reference: The Processor and Coprocessor" by Robert Hummel
is probably what you are looking for. It only goes up through 486,
but it has all the low-level details, plus the complete instruction
set with detailed explanations and timings (for what those are worth),
including for the coprocessor.

You might be able to find this from an on-line used book outlet like
Alibris or AbeBooks.

Best regards,


Bob Masta

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