Q&A: Pentium(R) processor-based system software reboot

Intel_Software_Netw1 — Thu, 27 Jan 2005 00:16:29 GMT

The following is a question received byIntel Software NetworkSupport, followed by the response provided by our Application Engineers:

Q. How do you do a 'software reboot' on a Pentium? You are running in protected mode, you swap back to real mode and jump to FFFFFFF0h but this does not work, presumably because the address is >1Mb. The Pentium manual talks about a 'special' load of the CS base address part when a hardware reset is performed, but how do you simulate this in software?

A. If you are using a standard PC platform, the easiest way to do a software-initiated reboot would be to use the keyboard controllers ability to do this (writing a 0b to bit zero of I/O port 64h). This assumes that the keyboard controller supports this legacy feature.If your keyboard controller does not support this feature, or you are not using a keyboard, please let us know.

Lexi S.

IntelSoftware NetworkSupport

http://www.intel.com/software

Message Edited by intel.software.network.support on 12-02-2005 08:45 PM

topic Q&A: Pentium(R) processor-based system software reboot in Software Archive

Q&A: Pentium(R) processor-based system software reboot