How do you compile an OS?

Promit Roy · 2002-02-01T16:53:25

Ive always been wondering on this. Obviously you cant compile to any sort of stright executable, because the executable format itself is defined by the OS. The compiler needs to support compiling for that OS, so you''ll need a custom compiler and/or linker, won''t you? And then, how do you beta test an OS that doesnt actually do very much yet? I have no experience with systems programming like this, so i was just curious... ----------------------------- The sad thing about artificial intelligence is that it lacks artifice and therefore intelligence.

For Beginners

Started by Promit January 31, 2002 06:19 AM

14 comments, last by Promit 22 years, 9 months ago

the darkening

122

January 31, 2002 02:53 PM

ELF is the most recent of these, so I''d recommend it. Unfortunately it''s not so good documented.

Darkening

Great Milenko

122

January 31, 2002 03:08 PM

well I a few people have already explained most of this but
you don''t realy need a compiler/linker that is custom writen...
but you do need one that can generate a flat binary.... no headers no OS specific libs (just about everthing...)
ummm NASM (a open source assembler could be use) gcc (built as a cross compiler)... and the list gose on
as far as testing... its fairly easy to write your own screen IO functions.... so you can just use them for testing...

I''ve got a bunch off sources for boot-loaders(some that load custom binnarys others that load elfs exe com ect) miniOSs howtos on toolsets elf header stripers and such.... if you want I can e-mail them to you...

The Great Milenko"Don't stick a pretzel up your ass, it might get stuck in there.""Computer Programming is findding the right wrench to hammer in the correct screw."

gavco98

387

January 31, 2002 05:46 PM

great milenko, how abouts sending them to me too gavcoates@btinternet.com

I looked into it a while ago and started making my os (YabOS = Yet another bloody OS) but never got past the "YabOS is now loading..." stage

Gavin Coates
[size="1"]IT Engineer / Web Developer / Aviation Consultant
[size="1"][ Taxiway Alpha ] [ Personal Home Page ]

Kneelz

122

January 31, 2002 05:47 PM

Cool! Couldn''t you mail them to me? I''m always interested into OS development.

nilsreichert@gmx.net

Kneelz.

bpj1138

113

January 31, 2002 10:00 PM

try my "hello 32" page.. it will put x86 into "flat mode" and you can write your main os program in C.. the page explains the whole thing..

http://www.geocities.com/bpj1138/hello32.html

have fun!

--bart