in the name of zero

although posted quite prematurely (because it’s still afternoon), these were today’s happenings.

[ intel microcode update ]
it’s not much of an update now considering the date released. but it’s better than nothing.

[ life and maiden daydreams entry ]
i read a post from a girl that rocked my boat. remembered steph. i wonder what’s on her mind right now. life would be so much easier if i could read people’s minds. for sure though, everyone will hate me and avoid me if i could.

summer’s almost here, and although i still have one more year (hopefully) of undergrad studies to finish, i want to work part-time. i call it “earning my keep”. itching to become a pizza devlivery boy actually. it won’t earn me points among girls sadly (who would wanna date a delivery boy afterall). seems rather an impossible job too because i don’t know how to drive first and foremost. and i have no driver’s license.

i wish i was in japan or somewhere in south korea (seoul, preferrably). their sailor-type-pleated-skirt-knee-high-socks uniform for girls there are to die for. totally. i’d go home to my humble apartment from my delivery work satisfied, heat up instant noodles and eat them while watching anime. then i’d sit infront of my legacy pentium 3 unit and continue my quest for enlightenment. on some days, it would also be great to go online and continue my cyber existence at world of warcraft. still on some other days, order lots and lots of pizza and just chill all day long. my money would run out just in time for my next paycheck and the bills have all been accounted for.

update: i saw sandara’s interview today at “the buzz”. she’s soo pretty!!

[ hello sectors ]

it’s not much, but it’s the start.

; this is my second boot sector
; it loads a file and tranfers control to it
; 03/05/06
	
BITS 16
	
_start:
        jmp _realstart
        nop
; my data area
        bootmsg db 'inside stage one...',0xA,0x0
        eread   db 'read '
        error   db 'error',0xA,0x0
print:
        lodsb
        or al, al
        jz .done
        mov ah, 0x0e
        mov bx, 0007
        int 10h
        jmp print
	
print.done
        ret
	
_realstart:             ; entry
        mov ax, 0x7c0
        mov ds, ax
	
        cli
        xor ax, ax      ; null ax
        mov ss, ax      ;
        mov sp, 0x2000  ; 8 kb
        sti
	
        mov si, bootmsg
        call print
	
.readstage_2
        mov ax, 0x1000
        mov es, ax
        xor bx, bx
        mov ah, 0x2
	
        mov al, 0x5     ; read 5 sectors
        xor cx, cx      ; cylinder zero
        mov cl, 0x2     ; sector 2
        mov dh, 0
        mov dl, 0x80    ; hard disk
        int 0x13        ; pray this works
	
        jc .readerr
	
        jmp 0x1000:0000
	
.readerr
        mov si, eread
        call print
.halt
        jmp $
	
times (510-($-$$)) db 0
	
        dw 0xaa55       ; word signature

and my boot sector stage 2 thingy - the one that get’s loaded.

bits 16
	
        mov ax, cs      ; for relocation
        mov ds, ax
        mov es, ax
	
; stage two entry
        mov si, bootmsg
print
        lodsb
        or al, al
        jz .done
        mov ah, 0x0e
        mov bx, 0007
        int 10h
        jmp print
.done
	
        jmp $
	
; my data area
        bootmsg db 'inside stage two...',0xA,0x0

i hope i got the concepts correct. next hurdle: enabling the A20 line (int 15) and entering protected mode. i reckon these functions should be found in some other bigger program but what the heck. i’m expecting some major breakages and brain-dead errors.

practice. practice.