What You Need to Get Started

This document assumes that you are an experienced assembly-language programmer, and that you are familiar with the instruction sets and system architecture of Intel and Intel-compatible microprocessors. In particular, you should understand:

• Protected and virtual 8086 mode operation
• Flat memory model
• Interrupt and exception processing
• Protection and privilege levels
• Segment and page memory management and fault handling
• Input and output protection and fault handling

This document also assumes that you are well acquainted with the features of your hardware device and any corresponding ROM BIOS routines or other installable software.