From news.dgsys.com!DGS.dgsys.com!raymoon Mon Aug 21 19:39:02 1995
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From: raymoon@dgsys.com (Raymond Moon)
Newsgroups: alt.lang.asm,comp.lang.asm.x86,news.answers,alt.answers,comp.answers
Subject: x86 Assembly Language FAQ - General Part 1/2
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Summary: This is the FAQ for the x86 Assembly Language programmers for the
 alt.lang.asm and comp.lang.asm.x86 newsgroups.  This particular section of
 the FAQ is part one of two parts that contain x86 assembly language
 information common to all assemblers.
Keywords: x86 Assemby Language ASM FAQ General
Archive-name: assembly-language/x86/general/part1
Posting-Frequency: monthly (21st of every month)
Last-modified: 1995/08/20
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------------------------------

Subject: 1. Introduction and Intent

This is the x86 Assembly Language FAQ for the comp.lang.asm.x86 and
alt.lang.asm newsgroups.  This FAQ is posted monthly on or about the 21st
of the month on both newsgroups and news.answers, alt.answers and
comp.answers.  It also is archived at the normal FAQ archival sites and the
SimTel mirror sites in the msdos/info directory.  Currently, this FAQ is
broken into five sections.  The following are the section filenames and the
scope of each section of the FAQ.

assembly-language/x86/general/part1 - This is the basic portion of the FAQ
    that contains information of interest to all assembly language
    programmers.  In general, the information contained in this portion of
    the FAQ is not specific to any particular assembler.

assembly-language/x86/general/part2 - This is a continuation of the above
    FAQ.

assembly-language/x86/microsoft - This portion of the FAQ contains
    information specific for the Microsoft MASM.

assembly-language/x86/borland - This portion of the FAQ contains
    information specific for the Borland TASM.

assembly-language/x86/a86 - This portion of the FAQ contains information
    specific for the Shareware A86 Assembler and D86 Debugger.

The scope and content of this FAQ is to go beyond just answering the
frequently asked questions.  I am including pointers to assembly language
treasure troves that are hidden out on the internet.  I believe that this
will enhance the FAQ's value not only to the novices but also to the old
hands.

Any subject listed as "OPEN" means that this topic as been requested but no
one has come forth and volunteered to write this section.  Volunteers
please indicate your intentions to the author listed below either by
posting to either newsgroup or by sending e-mail to the author at the below
address.

The general guidelines for submission are:
 *  accuracy and conciseness;
 *  pointers to where on the internet more detailed information is
    available; and
 *  any code submitted will be generic so that most assemblers can assemble
    successfully.

Any subject listed as "UNDER CONSTRUCTION" has a volunteer currently
writing that subject.  If you desire to assist or have some information
that you believe would be of help in writing that particular subject,
contact the contributor of that subject or post to both newsgroups.  Once a
subject is submitted to me, I will post it on both newsgroups for comment. 
After any changes that may be necessary are made, I will include it in the
next posting of the FAQ.

For the ease of determining what has changed since the last FAQ, the Table
of Contents will have "REVISED" at the end of the subject line for all
revised subjects.  If more than one FAQ revision has been missed, the "Last
Changed:" entry at the end of each subject can be used to determine which
subjects have been revised during the intervening time frame.

The information in this FAQ is free for all to use as long as you
acknowledge the source.  This FAQ can be reproduced in part or in its
entirety as long as the copyright is included.  This FAQ can be made
available on public servers, like ftp, gopher or WWW servers.  Please do
not modify the file, such as converting it into some other format, without
prior permission of the author.

Suggestions for changes and comments are always welcome.  They can be
posted to either newsgroup or e-mailed directly to the me.

Author: Raymond Moon, raymoon@dgs.dgsys.com
Copyright 1995 - Raymond Moon
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Last Changed: 19 Jun 95

------------------------------

Subject: 2. Table of Contents

Part I

1.  Introduction and Intent
2.  Table of Contents                       REVISED
3.  Charters For comp.lang.asm.x86 and alt.lang.asm Newsgroups
4.  What is Assembly Language
5.  List of x86 OpCodes
6.  What is HELPPC and Where It Is Available
7.  How To Truncate a File
8.  How Can STDERR Be Redirected To a File
9.  How To Determine the CPU Type
10. IRQ Assignments
11. Ralf Brown's Interrupt List             REVISED
12. Using VGA Mode 13h for Fast Graphics
13. Real Mode/Protected Mode                UNDER CONSTRUCTION
14. Shareware ASM Libraries
15. How To Determine If a Problem Pentium Is Present

Part II

16. Accessing 4 Gegs of Memory in Real Mode
17. Interrupts and Exceptions
18. What Is Available at ftp.intel.com
19. ASM Books Available                     REVISED
20. ASM Code Available on Internet
21. How To Commit a File
22. Using Extended Memory Manager
23. EXE2BIN Replacement
24. ASM Tutorials Available                 REVISED
25. Shareware Assemblers                    UNDER CONSTRUCTION
26. WWW Assembly HomePages                  NEW
27. Undocumented OpCodes                    NEW
28. Acknowledgments

------------------------------

Subject: 3. Charters For comp.lang.asm.x86 and alt.lang.asm Newsgroups

To know whether or not these newsgroups will meet your needs, the purpose
for which they were created are given below.

3.1  COMP.LANG.ASM.X86

comp.lang.asm.x86 was created based upon voting on a Request for Discussion
(RFD).  The RFD for this newsgroup is:

The unmoderated newsgroup comp.lang.asm.x86 is open to discussions on all
topics related to assembly language and low-level programming on IBM
machines with '86 processors.  Appropriate topics would include, but not be
limited to:

    Assembly language tips and tricks (code techniques)
    MASM, TASM, and other commercial assemblers
    Graphics, sound, and other hardware programming
    Assembly language code
    Assembly language related share/freeware
    Linking assembly language with other languages
    Etc...

Topics that are discouraged are:

    Flames about "{Language X} is {better/worse} than ASM"
    Flames like "{Assembler 1} is {better/worse} than {Assembler 2}"
    High-level language code, except when used for hardware programming

3.2  ALT.LANG.ASM

Alt newsgroups are initiated with a Proposal posting to the alt.config
newsgroup.  The proposal for alt.lang.asm is:

alt.lang.asm will address the problems of machine language programmers out
there in InterNet land.  It will be a forum for discussion of coding
techniques and efficiency problems related to machine language.  The scope
will be broad.  We will not discriminate by machine architecture, race or
sex.

Contributors: Michael Averbuch, mikeaver@firefly.prairienet.org
              Raymond Moon, raymoon@dgs.dgsys.com
Last changed: 28 Dec 94 

------------------------------

Subject: 4. What Is Assembly Language

4.1  WHAT IS MACHINE LANGUAGE?

Although programmers tend to use C or C++ or Pascal these days, the
language closest to the PC hardware is machine language. Not one second
during a PC's powered on lifetime passes where the computer is not
executing machine language.

4.2  ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE OR MACHINE LANGUAGE

To word this simply, you can say that say that assembly language is a
human-readable text, and machine language is machine-readable binary code.
When you program in assembly language, you are programming on the machine
language level.

To program directly in machine language is teadious, so you use assembly
language instead, and use an assembler to produce the actual machine code.

4.3  WHEN TO USE ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE

I personally think that except as a learning exercise it's a waste of time
writing something in asm that can be written acceptably fast in a
high-level language.

Assembly language fits for the following:

 *  Low level control.  When you need to change the flags, or the control
    registers of the processor, as when entering protected mode.

 *  Speed.  Programs written in machine language execute fast!  It can
    execute 10-100 times the speed of BASIC, and about twice as fast as a
    program written in C or Pascal.

 *  Time Critical Code.  Critical sections of programs written in higher
    level languages, can be written in assembly to speed up sections.

 *  Small program size.  When you write a TSR for example this is very
    useful. Writing interrupt handlers is where assembly language shines.

Assembly language is very flexible and powerful, anything that the hardware
of the computer is capable of doing can be done in assembly.

Contributor: Patrik Ohman, patrik@astrakan.hgs.se
Last changed: 10 Jan 95

------------------------------

Subject: 5. List Of x86 OpCodes

To obtain a full listing of the instruction set, opcodes and instruction
timing of the Intel processors, the book

Pentium<tm> Family, User's Manual
Volume 3: Architecture and Programming Manual
ISBN 1-55512-227-12

is the best source of information.

This book is available directly from Intel by calling or writing: 
Intel Literature Sales
P.O. Box 7641
Mt. Prospect, IL 60056-7641
(800) 548-4725

Another source of information on the instruction set is the program HelpPC,
see obtaining HELPPC elsewhere in this document.

Contributor: Patrik Ohman, patrik@astrakan.hgs.se
Last changed: 10 Jan 95

------------------------------

Subject: 6. What Is HELPPC and Where Is It Available

HELPPC is a Quick Reference Utility for the intermediate to advanced
programmer.  It is a shareware program written by David Jurgens.  The
latest version is 2.10

The topics distributed in an easy database format are:
    BIOS interrupts;
    DOS interrupts and DOS functions;
    EMS and Mouse functions;
    BIOS and DOS data structures;
    diagnostic codes;
    DOS commands;
    80x86 assembler instructions;
    standard and vendor specific C functions; and
    various hardware specifications.

HELPPC is customizable by users.  The documentation describes how users can
incorporate their own information into the help file format.  These user
help files then can be incorporated into the database and accessed via
HELPPC application.

HELPPC comes in two versions.  The first is a DOS command line program. 
The second is a TSR.  The TSR supports context sensitive help within many
editors.  Only 32K is taken by the TSR version.

HELPPC requires:
    DOS 2.0 or greater;
    64K of RAM for DOS Command Line or 32K for TSR; and
    hard disk recommended.

HELPPC is available specifically from:

    ftp oak.oakland.edu
    Log on ID: anonymous
    Log on Password: your.name@your.site (i.e., your e-mail address)
    cd SimTel/msdos/info
    get helppc21.zip

HELPPC also is available from any site that mirrors the SimTel directory. 
(See File Availability under Subject #11 below for those sites.)

Contributor:  Raymond Moon, raymoon@dgs.dgsys.com
Last changed: 28 Dec 94

------------------------------

Subject: 7. How To Truncate A File

There is not any single DOS Int 21h function that performs this operation. 
A file can be truncated using two functions.  The procedure is:

1.  Use Int 21h function 42h, Move File Pointer, to move the file pointer
    to the position where you want the file to be truncated.
2.  Use Int 21h function 40h, Write File or Device, to write zero bytes to
    the file.

Execution of the last DOS function will update the directory to the new
file length.

Contributor: Raymond Moon, raymoon@dgs.dgsys.com
Last changed: 28 Dec 94

------------------------------

Subject: 8. How Can STDERR Be Redirected To A File

I understand that 4DOS has this capability at its command line.  If you are
looking in the assembly language FAQ for this information, an assembly
language answer probably is desired.  Here it is.

You will need to write a short program that performs the STDERR redirection
before loading and executing the desired program.  This loader program
relies upon the fact that a child program inherits all open files of the
parent program unless the parent program opens a file with the inheritance
flag set to no.

Because the full code for such a program is too large for this FAQ, I will
give are the salient specifications for such a program.

1.  The loader program accepts three command line arguments:
    a.  The full path and filename of the file into which STDERR is to be
        written.
    b.  The full path and filename of the program to be executed.
    c.  The command line for the program to be executed (should be
        delimited by double quotes to allow multiple arguments).  This
        argument is optional.
2.  Release all memory above the program using Int 21 function 4ah so that
    there will be room enough to load and execute the designated program. 
3.  Open the file from step 1.a above into which STDERR is to be written.
4.  Duplicate STDERR filehandle, which is 2, using Int 21h function 45h.
5.  Using Int 21h function 46h, force STDERR filehandle, again 2, to have
    the filehandle of the opened file from step 2.
6.  Use Int 21h function 4b00h to load and execute the program from step
    1.a.  Use the default environment and the command line from step 1.c
    above.
7.  Upon return from the function 4b00h, close the file opened in step 2.
8.  To restore STDERR, use Int 21h function 46h to force STDERR, again 2,
    to point to the filehandle saved from step 3 above.

This same technique can be applied to any of the standard devices.

I have written a full featured demonstration program.  I have uploaded the
program with the full 100% asm source code to the SimTel sites in the
msdos/asmutil directory.  The filename is stderrf.zip.  I believe that asm
programmers will find the source code useful even if they do not want to
redirect stderr to a file.

Contributor: Raymond Moon, raymoon@dgs.dgsys.com
Last changed: 3 Jun 95
------------------------------

Subject: 9. How To Determine The CPU Type

9.1  CPUID PROGRAM

The type of processor and math coprocessor can be determined using two
functions that have been provided by Intel.  The source code to these
functions can be obtained from Intel by:


    ftp ftp.intel.com
    Log on ID: anonymous
    Log on Password: your.name@your.site (i.e., your e-mail address)
    cd pub/IAL/tools_utils_demos
    get cpuid3.zip

Three source files are included in this .zip file.
    cpuid3a.asm - This source code file contains two assembly language
        functions.  One determines the type of cpu from 8088/8086 to
        Pentium.  The second detects and identifies, if present, the type
        of math coprocessor.
    cpuid3b.c - a c program that calls the above two functions and displays
        the results.
    cpuid3c.asm - this is an assembly program equivalent to cpuid3b.c.

9.2  CPUID INSTRUCTION

On some 486 and all Pentium processors, Intel has included an undocumented
CPUID instruction.  More information on this instruction and how to tell if
a processor supports this instruction, see Ralf Brown's OPCODE.LST, Subject
#11).

You also can get the word directly from Intel

    ftp ftp.intel.com
    Log on ID: anonymous
    Log on Password: your.name@your.site (i.e., your e-mail address)
    cd pub/IAL/Software_specs
    get cpuap.zip

    The file in the .zip file describes the CPUID instruction, explains the
evolution of CPU detections strategies and includes the source code for the
CPUID program.  UNFORTUNATELY, the format for the file is a postscript
print file.  To get a human readable copy, it must be sent to a postscript
printer!

Contributor: Raymond Moon, raymoon@dgs.dgsys.com
Last changed: 5 Jan 95  

------------------------------

Subject: 10. IRQ Assignments

A list of IRQ assignments are available in David Jurgens' HELPPC database. 
See Subject #6 for details on how to obtain this program.

Contributor: Raymond Moon, raymoon@dgs.dgsys.com
Last changed: 28 Dec 94  

------------------------------

Subject: 11. Ralf Brown's Interrupt List

11.1  FILE AVAILABILITY

The latest version of Ralf Brown's Interrupt List is 4.7.  It is dated Jan
95.  The files are available from one of SimTel's mirrored sites under the
SimTel/msdos/info subdirectory.  Some of these sites are:

    oak.oakland.edu         nic.funet.fi
    wuarchive.wustl.edu     src.doc.ic.ac.uk
    ftp.uu.net              archie.au

    Log on ID: anonymous
    Log on Password: your.name@your.site (i.e., your e-mail address)

The files are:
inter47a.zip    Comprehensive listing of interrupt calls, 1 of 4
inter47b.zip    Comprehensive listing of interrupt calls, 2 of 4
inter47c.zip    Comprehensive listing of interrupt calls, 3 of 4
inter47d.zip    Comprehensive listing of interrupt calls, 4 of 4
inter47e.zip    Hypertext/utility programs for interrupt list
inter47f.zip    WinHelp conversion programs for interrupt list

11.2  DESCRIPTION

This interrupt list is an extensive listing of functions available through
interrupt and FAR calls.  Both documented and undocumented calls are
included.  Also available are maps of CMOS and BIOS memory and I/O ports. 
The current release contains 7,400 entries and over 2,700 tables.

11.3  WHAT IS NEW

Version 4.6:
AMI BIOS-FLASH interface, AMI BIOS INT 15h extensions, CauseWay DOS
extender, DOS32 DOS extender, Intel SMBus, DIGPAK, MIDPAK, PCMCIA
Socket Services v2.1, PHARLAPX VxD, Windows VxD function numbers,
more virus installation checks, more Novell NetWare VLM functions,
more Banyan VINES functions, and a further-enlarged OPCODES.LST.

Version 4.7:
HP 100LX/200LX calls, some Windows95, XMZ, LAN Manager data structures,
Linux DOSEMU, NetWare printing and VLMs, HugeRealMode Server, GO! Directory
locator, XDF.  Plus, a significantly expanded PORTS.LST and a reformatted
MEMORY.LST

11.4  VIEWERS

Ralf Brown has included quite a few viewers.  They are included as embedded
.zip files.  I would unzip them into separate files and determine which one
best fits your needs.

11.5 OTHER INCLUDED GEMS

OVERVIEW.LST - A brief description of each of the 256 interrupts.
86BUGS.LST - A list of undocumented and buggy instructions with
    descriptions of the x86 Intel processor and compatible processors.  And
    you thought that the Intel FDIV was the first bug in a processor!
CMOS.LST - a CMOS memory map.
OPCODE.LST - A list of undocumented instructions and documented instruction
    of any last processor.
PORTS.LST - I/O port addressed for XT, AT and PS/2 computers.
GLOSSARY.LST - glossary of PC terms.
MEMORY.LST - The format for various memory locations, such as the BIOS Data
    Segment, Interrupt Vector Table, and much, much more.

Contributor: Raymond Moon, raymoon@dgs.dgsys.com
Last changed: 20 Aug 95 

------------------------------

Subject: 12. Using VGA Mode 13h for Fast Graphics

12.1  INTRODUCTION AND PREPARATION

Mode 13h is so widely used for graphics applications in DOS because it is
very easy to use.  The screen is constantly being redrawn by the video
card.  To affect what the card draws, it is necessary to write to the
screen buffer.  The screen buffer in mode 13h is always at segment:offset =
A000:0000.  Thus, to set up drawing directly to the video buffer, this is
what you'd most often first do:

  ;Change the video mode to 13h
    xor  ah, ah         ;VIDEO Function 00h: Change screen
    mov  al, 13h        ;Put the desired graphics mode into AL
    int  10h            ;Call VIDEO
 
  ;Prepare for writing to the video buffer
    mov  di, 0a000h     ;Put the video segment into DI
    mov  es, di         ; so it can easily be put into ES
    xor  di, di         ;Start writing at coordinates (0,0)

12.2  WRITING PIXELS TO THE SCREEN

Why is Mode 13h so popular?  To understand, you must know a few basic
facts.  In Mode 13h, the screen is 320 by 200, or 320 pixels across and 200
pixels down.  In each pixel, there's a possibility of 256 colors, which can
be fit into one byte.  Thus, 320*200*1 = 64000 bytes, about the size of one
segment.  Think of the screen as an array of colors.  The first row takes
up addresses A000:0000 to A000:013F (decimal 319), the second row takes up
addresses A000:0140 to A000:027F (decimal 639), and so on.  To plot a
pixel, assuming ES=A000:

  ;Plot a pixel in video mode 13h, where
  ;PixelAddress = (320 * Y) + X
    mov  ax, 320        ; Prepare for the multiplication  
    mul  [Y]            ; Assuming that Y is defined in the data segment
                        ;   earlier in the program
    mov  di, ax         ; Put in into the pointer to the offset of ES
    add  di, [X]        ; Assuming that X is defined in the data segment
                        ;   earlier in the program
    mov  al, [Color]    ; Assuming that Color is defined in the data
                        ;   segment earlier in the program
    stosb               ; Write it to the screen!

See how easy that was?  Something to remember is that it is zero-based. 
The upper-left corner is (0,0), and the lower-right is (319,199).  A
complete TASM Ideal mode procedure might look something like this (it
assumes that the video card is already set to mode 13h):
 
PROC WritePixel BASIC   ; Or whatever language you might want to link
                        ;  it to
    USES es, di         ; It's always a good idea to preserve ES and DI
    ARG  X:word, Y:word, Color:BYTE
    mov  di, 0a000h     ; Put the video segment into DI
    mov  es, di         ;   so it can easily be put into ES
    mov  ax, 320        ; Prepare for the multiplication
    mul  [Y]            ; Offset pointer by the Y value passed in
    mov  di, ax         ; Put in into pointer to the offset of ES
    add  di, [X]        ; Offset the pointer by the X value passed in
    mov  al, [Color]    ; Put color to be written to the screen in AL
    stosb               ; Write it to the screen!
    ret
ENDP WritePixel

To write a horizontal line, just put the length in CX, and replace the
STOSB with a REP STOSB.  Writing a vertical line is only a little more
tricky.  Observe the following TASM Ideal mode procedure:

PROC VerticalLine BASIC ; Or whatever language you might want to link
                        ;  it to
    USES es, di         ; It's always a good idea to preserve ES and
                        ;  DI
    ARG  X:word, Y:word, Color:BYTE, Length:word
    mov  di, 0a000h     ; Put the video segment into DI
    mov  es, di         ; so it can easily be put into ES
    mov  ax, 320        ; Prepare for the multiplication  
    mul  [Y]            ; Offset the pointer by the Y value passed in
    mov  di, ax         ; Put in into the pointer to the offset of ES
    add  di, [X]        ; Offset the pointer by the X value passed in
    mov  al, [Color]    ; Put the color to be written to the screen
                        ; in AL
    mov  cx, [Length]   ; Prepare for the loop
YLoop:
    stosb               ; Write it to the screen!
    add  di, 319        ; Move down one row (DI has already advanced
                        ;  once because of the STOSB, thus the 319)
    loop YLoop
    ret
ENDP VerticleLine

Observe how there is a tight loop that moves DI down one row each
iteration.

In short, the easiest way to write directly to the Mode 13h video buffer is
to think of the screen as just a 320 by 200 array of bytes, starting at
A000:0000.

Author: Michael Averbuch (mikeaver@prairienet.org)
Last Change: 29 Dec 94

------------------------------

Subject: 13. Real Mode/Protected Mode

            UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Till Gerken <tig@ngo.ol.ni.schule.de> and 
Jerzy Tarasiuk <JT@zfja-gate.fuw.edu.pl> are working on this section.

Contributor: 
Last changed:  

------------------------------

Subject: 14. Shareware ASM Libraries

14.1  ASMLIB PROGRAMMER'S TOOLKIT, VERSION 3.7

Douglas Herr's shareware assembly language library.  This library is
available from one of the SimTel mirror sites.

    ftp oak.oakland.edu
    log on ID:  anonymous
    log on Password:  your e-mail address
    cd SimTel/msdos/asmutil
    get asmlib37.zip

The zip file contains only the medium model of the library.  There are 405
assembly subroutines in a .lib file and documentation.  Source code is
available with registration and extra fee.  The library covers the
following areas:
    string/integer data manipulation
    disk & file subroutines
    EMS and XMS subroutines
    floating-point subroutines
    graphics
    keyboard input subroutines
    screen mode subroutines
    text-mode multi-window subroutines
    mathematical solutions
    subroutines which determine PC status
    text-mode video subroutines

asmlib37 also comes with an editor, E16, written entire with asmlib.

14.2  THE ASSEMBLY WIZARD'S LIBRARY, VERSION 1.6

This is Thomas Hanlin's shareware assembly language library.  This library
is available from one of the SimTel mirror sites.

    ftp oak.oakland.edu
    log on ID:  anonymous
    log on Password:  your e-mail address
    cd SimTel/msdos/asmutil
    get asmwiz16.zip 

This library comes with documentation and one .lib file that supports small
and tiny memory models.  Source code is available with registration. The
library covers the following areas:

    Base Conversions        Mouse Services
    Exception Handling      Sound and Music
    Delays and Countdowns   String Services
    File Handling           Telecommunications
    Filename Manipulation   Time and Date
    Keyboard Services       Video Services
    Long Integer Math       Miscellaneous Services
    Memory Services

14.3  UCR Standard Library for Assembly Language Programmers

This library is written by Randall Hyde and others.  Unlike the previous
libraries, there is no registrations fees and the included source code is
released to the public domain.  The author does request that if you use the
library, you contribute at least one routine to the library.

    Standard Input Routines     Character Set Routines
    Standard Output Routines    Memory Management Routines
    Conversion Routines         String Handling Routines
    Utility Routines

14.4  ALIB Version 3.0

ALIB is Jeff Ownens' shareware assembly language library.  Like the UCR
library described above, registration fees are not requested.  The library
consists of 179 assembly source files covering the following areas:

    compress    - data compression and expansion
    config      - program configuration, colors, paths, etc.
    compare     - compare strings
    convert     - hex/decimal/ascii conversions
    database    - simple database functions
    disk        - disk information, path changes, file searches
    display     - fast display functions, write to display memory
    error       - error handlers
    float       - simple floating point math package
    math        - dword math, crc, roots
    memory      - memory manager, extended, xms, ems, conventional
    menu        - menuing system
    message     - messages in windows on screen
    misc        - misc routines
    mouse/key   - mouse and keyboard functions
    parse       - extraction of parameters from command line
    random      - random number generators
    search      - search for character or string
    sort        - sort buffer or file
    sound       - sounds 
    string      - ascii string handling
    stdout      - characters, strings, spaces to stdout
    system      - system interrogation and setup
    time        - time and date conversions

Contributor: Raymond Moon, raymoon@dgs.dgsys.com
Last changed: 1 Jan 95  

------------------------------

Subject: 15. How To Determine If A Pentium With The FDIV Problem Is Present

The following is a short assembly language program that can detect the FDIV
error: (It has been pointed out to me that the test against zero may lead
to a false positive.  On my 387, the result is exactly zero so that is why
I coded it that way.  PENERR has been tested on and identifies a Pentium
with the FDIV error.)

=================================================================
;   PENERR.ASM - Determines if Pentium FDIV error is present
;   Version 1.00
;   Copyright 1994 - Raymond Moon
;   This program is free for all to use.
    .286
    .287
DGROUP  GROUP   _TEXT, _DATA
_DATA   SEGMENT PARA PUBLIC 'DATA'  ; Data segment
x   dd      4195835
y   dd      3145727
OK  byte    'No Error$'
ERR byte    'Pentium Error Present', 7, '$'
_DATA   ENDS

_TEXT   SEGMENT WORD PUBLIC 'CODE'  ; Code segment
    assume cs:DGROUP, ds:DGROUP
        org 100h
START:  finit
        fld x
        fld st
        fld y               ; 0 = y; 1 & 2 = x
        fdiv    st(2), st   ; 0 = y; 1 = x; 2 = x/y
        fmulp   st(2), st   ; 0 = x, 1 = (x/y)*y
        fsubp   st(1), st   ; 0 = (x/y)*y-x => should be zero
        fldz                ; 0 = 0; 1 = (x/y)*y-x
        fcomp   st(1)       ; Is it zero
        fstsw   ax          ; get control word
        ffree   st(1)
        ffree   st
        sahf                ; load flag register
        jz      EQUAL       ; If C3 not set, result = 0
        lea dx, ERR         ; DS:DX => ERR
         jmp OUTPUT
EQUAL:  lea dx, OK          ; DS:DX => OK
OUTPUT: mov ah, 9h          ; Display string
        int 21h
        int 20h             ; Terminate program
_TEXT   ends
        end START
=================================================================
penerr.com in uuencode for those who do not want to assemble the above
source code.
=================================================================
begin 644 penerr.com
MF]OCV09``=G`V09$`=SZWLK>Z=GNV-F;W^#=P=W`GG0&C191`>L$C19(`;0)
MS2'-(````````````````````/L%0`#__R\`3F\@17)R;W(D4&5N=&EU;2!%
.<G)O<B!0<F5S96YT!R1R
`
end

Contributor: Raymond Moon, raymoon@dgs.dgsys.com
Last changed: 5 Jan 95

