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z386: An Open-Source 80386 Built Around Original Microcode

nand2mario.github.io

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Re: z386: An Open-Source 80386 Built Around Original Microcode

#3

Post by nand2mario »

mmastrac wrote: post #2

Did the microcode disassembly find any useful backdoors to read microcode without decapping?

Not really. The 386 does not have an interface to read the ROM direclty. Instead, it uses the Built-In Self-Test (BIST) to verify the ROM's contents. It's basically a checksum-like mechanism that verify the integrity of the CROM.

Re: z386: An Open-Source 80386 Built Around Original Microcode

#5

Post by KellyCriterion »

cbdevidal wrote: post #4

Of course they tested Doom :-D They might also run Linux kernel 3.7, that supported i386. Gray386linux is still maintained, and runs a patched 3.7 kernel. https://github.com/marmolak/gray386linux

haha, this was my first thought when I read the headline, because this "classic test" always comes up here :-))

Re: z386: An Open-Source 80386 Built Around Original Microcode

#6

Post by KellyCriterion »

Question: Are there today any 386 instances running somewhere in the basement to do some productive stuff, maybe processing only some controller data once a day?

I remember the link some month ago where that one small shop ran completely on an old Amiga (?IIRC, not sure, was linked here)

Around 98/99 I was involved in a small IT-management company serving SME around the region, we had a client producing distinct metal objects with a big press; this got feeded once a day with a 5.25 floppy from another machine with production data - and it was still in use while we had already ethernet/USB/3.5 floppies etc. :-D

Re: z386: An Open-Source 80386 Built Around Original Microcode

#7

Post by bitwize »

KellyCriterion wrote: post #6

Question: Are there today any 386 instances running somewhere in the basement to do some productive stuff, maybe processing only some controller data once a day? I remember the link some month ago where that one small shop ran completely on an old Amiga (?IIRC, not sure, was linked here) Around 98/99 I was involved in a small IT-management company serving SME around the region, we had a client producing distinct meta…

A few years ago there was a story where the single Amiga that ran an entire US school district's HVAC was replaced with a system costing like 1.5 million dollars, after 30 years of dutiful service.

I can't think of examples offhand but you bet your ass there are donut shops and auto body repair services running 386s to do POS, inventory, and the like. Some of them may be driving terminals off Xenix.

Re: z386: An Open-Source 80386 Built Around Original Microcode

#9

Post by nand2mario »

cbdevidal wrote: post #4

Of course they tested Doom :-D They might also run Linux kernel 3.7, that supported i386. Gray386linux is still maintained, and runs a patched 3.7 kernel. https://github.com/marmolak/gray386linux

Doom (DOS extender games) is an easier protected mode application as it does not use complex page tables. Linux is much more complex.

Re: z386: An Open-Source 80386 Built Around Original Microcode

#10

Post by cbdevidal »

nand2mario wrote: post #9
cbdevidal wrote: post #4

Of course they tested Doom :-D They might also run Linux kernel 3.7, that supported i386. Gray386linux is still maintained, and runs a patched 3.7 kernel. https://github.com/marmolak/gray386linux

Doom (DOS extender games) is an easier protected mode application as it does not use complex page tables. Linux is much more complex.

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