System Devices

[garfield]

Is there any standard set for those common system board devices (e.g. DMA controller, real time clock, programmable interrupt controller)?

For example, is PIC always 8259 compatible?

If not, the OS has to support all those chips available on the current market. And they have to modify the OS somehow to support new system chips. It does not sound very attractive.

Thanks,

[rond36]

Yes there is a standard set of drivers for common system board devices. The devices on a system board are different for each chip set and are based on the implementation of the options available on the chip set and if the system board manufacturer chose to include these options. This is why you need to install different drivers for various system boards with the same chip set. Support for all the different chip sets is achieved thru the use of device drivers. If I installed the VIA 4 in 1 drivers for my ECS K7VZA (VIA KT133A chip set) on a board with an AMD, Nvidia, or SIS chip set the devices would not work. The VIA drivers will work on VIA KT133 chip set boards and some operating systems include the drivers (WIN ME and XP) and install them during set up but most of the time they need updated. Most chip set manufacturers supply a standard set of drivers for their chip set but other drivers are needed for devices specific to your system board make model.

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[garfield]

Thanks,

[iisbob]

The need for compatibility with the ever newer and expanding hardware option's are why each newer version of window's claim's so much more space on your system than it's predecesor.

Dos only need 50MB's < then 95 need around 120MB's, 98 around 400MB's ( full install of + pack w/all option's )2000 needs at least a GB ( w/service pack ) and finally XP takes up over 1.5 GB's for a full install w/all option's.

The majority of this growth comes from the expansion of the Hardware Compatibility List { Commonly referred to as the HCL } in window's so that it contain's drives for most all known vendor hardware out ther over the last 9 years, this is what makes 2000/XP truely " Plug&Play ", since with XP ( at least on my systems so far ) it recognizes/install's these included " generic " vendor driver's w/no need for me to do it for any of my hardware.

Pretty sweet if you ask me. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

( of course i've gone to the specific vendor's sites' and gotten updated drivers, but it's nice to install a Window's OS and not have to babysit it to install driver's during the installation. )

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iisbob

The man who sets out to carry a cat by its tail learns something that will always be useful and which never will grow dim or doubtful. -- Mark Twain.