INSTANT BOOT: Hibernating MEM image in BIOS

[abaraba]

How about this...

1.) Boot PC in DOS
2.) Capture system states and memory content in some 'memory image'
3.) Replace the whole BIOS with this 'memory image' + bootloader that can load it where it was and set the states as they were

4.) Re-boot... and the very next second instead of all the BIOS/POST we see DOS prompt, as if computer was "hibernating", as if it was not restarted at all - instant boot to OS prompt, like C64 or Amstrad CPC.

Of course this 'memory image' would need to change with any hardware change, but the main idea is to capture all of the hardware drivers and only what is absolutely necessary to run only that specific hardware, and so make the smallest, fastest possible boot for that particular hardware configuration only. That ought to be smaller than the whole BIOS with all the initialization routines, the whole BIOS SETUP application, and what not. I guess 90% of any BIOS would be completely unnecessary once you settle with any particular hardware configuration. -- Is this possible, theoretically at least? Any sort of information about a project, anything even remotely connected or similar to this, would be greatly appreciated.


Thank you

[1234s282]

I honestly wouldnt have the slightest clue where to start with something like this.!

Check out coreboot though (Google)

[abaraba]

I honestly wouldnt have the slightest clue where to start with something like this.!

Check out coreboot though (Google)

Yes, thanks. That thing looked very promising until I realized the source code is in bad shape or non existent for the particular chip sets (various Award BIOS 4.51, or so) I need it for. So then I realized I need some rather universal solution.

I too do not know where to start, or even how to google for anything like that, however I did find this:

(OS in BIOS) - ROMOS
http://rayer.ic.cz/romos/romose.htm

[TheWiz]

So you're saying you want to boot DOS from a BIOS chip bootloader. I know that the ROMOS project is a bit older but it does work with the Award 6 PG from my understanding. I'm pretty sure though it takes a lot of testing to get it right, especially because ROMOS requries integration in the bootblock of the BIOS image.

TheWiz

[abaraba]

Yes, I'm talking about DOS here because I know for sure that it can fit in even older/smaller BIOS chips, but depending on the size of your BIOS you can probably fit some other operating systems as well. I think there is video on YouTube showing Linux in BIOS, complete with graphical user interface X11 and some applications. That is using "CoreBOOT", former "LinuxBIOS". -- As for ROMOS, unfortunately I could not make it work on any of my old computers, mostly with Award BIOS 4.51 inside 128kb BIOS chip. So many motherboards, so many different versions of BIOS, hence I need more universal solution.


There is this project here:
http://www.asrock.com/feature/instantboot/index.asp

...but I can't quite figure out whether ASRock is only software or does it come with a piece of hardware as well, or even a whole motherboard. In any case that's exactly what I'm after, only I need it for old computers with limited hardware resources or embedded/mobile platforms.



BTW, do you think it would be possible to connect some USB memory stick, or whatever flash card, directly to BIOS pins, so to fool motherboard into thinking USB stick is actual BIOS chip? That would solve all the problems with available storage space.

---

Perhaps I should underline the distinction between COREBOOT/ROMOS and what I want. -- I want to completely bypass every BIOS "initialization", and whatever hardware "probing" or configuration.

I want to "trick" the computer into thinking there was no restart at all, I want the CPU to "think" it was not turned off - by simply loading the complete memory image and register states exactly as they were captured. This is very similar how "sleep" and "hibernation" work on WinXP, Linux or MacOS, it's only that I want to put that image in BIOS instead of Hard Drive.

That should work as if RAM kept the data even after power was turned off, and once the CPU becomes "conscious" again it should not be able to notice the difference, it should simply continue to execute from the same point where the instruction counter was left off.


How does that sound?

[MrTangoWhisky]

Sounds nice...
BUT:
You will still need soe kind of initialisation!
Even so called "instand-boot-devices" like mobile phones or these crappy Windows CE/mobile terminal pieces start up with a OK-very-short-hardwarecheck! And a PC is a little more complex ! I tried some things with a disk-on-module and several embedded OS and it was not so bad with bootup times less than 4 seconds! Try searching thing like Windows XP embedded. this gave me the best success! There you have to integrate all the necessary drivers just for the used hardware and then it works quite the same you want but wit this funny "ini-thing" you want to prevent! Try it, I could lend you a hand if you need...