Hi,
"Ronald G. Minnich" wrote:
I think memory startup should happen first or early. On the new machines you can't use ram til you power on memory.
To give a little clue (you may already know this) you need to initalize and test the first 64k block of RAM. Upon successful completion of the test you can then use this memory and start sizing the rest of it... Most current BIOS's (Pheonix Award and AMD for example) test the first 64k before completion of the 20th 'POST' test (often in early AMD and Award it was the 5th or 6th test) the rest of the RAM test and sizing happens at various other stages depending on the BIOS and board.
You should test and initialize the first 64k of RAM before you attempt to start any other ROM's (eg VGA, SCSI or Netboot). Most size and test the remainder of the RAM immediately before or after starting the VGA BIOS - remembering that the Primary VGA BIOS is usually initialised in the early part of the POST.
-- Yours
Matthew
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- More Computer Terminology -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Bits: The things scattered all over the floor after you drop your computer down the stairs.