The Undocumented PC: A Programmer's Guide to I/O, CPUs, and Fixed Memory Areas

by Frank van Gilluwe

Book Overview

"The ultimate source for low-level details on the PC." Mike Schmit, author of Pentium Processor Optimization Tools "...a category-killer for PC-hardware junkies...hard-core technical... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0201479508
• ISBN13: 9780201479508
• Release Date: January 1996
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional
• Length: 1123 Pages
• Weight: 3.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.9" x 7.3" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

The definitive guide for legacy PC system info

This is the most thorough technical book I've ever read, on a subject only glanced at in other books. You will find every detail about legacy PC hardware and low-level programming for these systems in this book, and it is well organized for low-level system programmers.PC hardware areas are each given a chapter with an introduction explaining the history and workings of the physical hardware, followed by interrupt and port programming details. There are also chapters devoted solely to the interrupt vector table and BIOS data areas that list all software services, and refer to the other chapters for more details...you can get a good overview of a particular area of PC hardware, or you can just as easily find the particulars of any interrupt service, port usage or BIOS data area entry. Invaluable for low-level programmers!

Excellent for low-level programming

This book provides excellent information on hardware ports, CMOS, disk and video systems. It explains the differences between versions, lists known bugs and workarounds and even comes with functioning code examples. Some of the programming leaves a little to be desired, though. :) But if you're a good assembly programmer you'll understand it.Overall it is an excellent book and a must have for anyone wanting direct hardware-level access (without the save-haven "buffer" provided through an API). This book is for real programmers only. Programmers who want to work at the machine level. It is, quite simply, the most comprehensive book I've found. A one-stop shop for information.The only problem I found is that this book is slightly dated, originally published in 1996 or 1997. Newer features are not included.

Through Book

This book is a great book. It covers low level details from the Hard Disk Controller to understanding of the DMA chip. This is a good book for systems programmers. This is my new programming bible.

This book is invaluable.

This book, though having some misprints (minor), is invaluable for those willing to squease every last drop from their PC when writing low-level programs.

The Most complete reference In its area!

Of all of the books i have read on the low level aspects of computers this book is by far the most complete. This book has none of the typical "unknown/unused" grey areas found in most books in this area. A must buy for any low level program!