mirror of
https://github.com/Plexi09/Nadir-Kernel.git
synced 2026-10-20 15:07:27 +02:00
83 lines
No EOL
2.9 KiB
Markdown
83 lines
No EOL
2.9 KiB
Markdown
# Nadir Kernel
|
|
|
|
Nadir is an x86-64 kernel written from scratch.
|
|
The name Nadir comes from the Arabic word *naẓīr*. In astronomy it means the point of lowest elevation, in opposition to the zenith. The documentation assumes general knowlege about how operating systems work.
|
|
|
|
## Status of the project
|
|
|
|
The project is in its foundation phase and is not yet usable. Only the bootloader is currently being written.
|
|
|
|
## Getting started
|
|
|
|
### Prerequisites
|
|
|
|
You need two tools:
|
|
|
|
- **nasm** to assemble `boot.asm` into a bootable image.
|
|
- **qemu-system-x86_64**, the emulator used to run it.
|
|
|
|
Install both from your package manager:
|
|
|
|
**Debian / Ubuntu**
|
|
```bash
|
|
sudo apt install nasm qemu-system-x86
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
**Fedora**
|
|
```bash
|
|
sudo dnf install nasm qemu-system-x86
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
**Arch Linux**
|
|
```bash
|
|
sudo pacman -S nasm qemu-desktop
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
**macOS (Homebrew)**
|
|
```bash
|
|
brew install nasm qemu
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
**Windows**
|
|
|
|
I can only recommend using Linux distribution, but the Windows Subsystem for Linux is a valid path if you are exclusively running Windows. Install Ubuntu from the Microsoft Store, then run the Debian command above inside its terminal (QEMU's window renders automatically through WSLg).
|
|
|
|
### Running the kernel
|
|
|
|
From the repository root:
|
|
|
|
```bash
|
|
nasm -f bin boot.asm -o boot.bin
|
|
qemu-system-x86_64 -fda boot.bin
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
A QEMU window opens and you should see this:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Notes:
|
|
|
|
- `-fda` boots the image as a BIOS floppy. QEMU's default firmware loads it at address `0x7C00` and executes it in 16-bit real mode.
|
|
- `boot.bin` is a generated artifact and is ignored by git, so you need to build it first. `rm boot.bin` cleans up and it will regenerates on the next `nasm` run.
|
|
- There is no build script or Makefile yet. Those two commands are the whole toolchain.
|
|
- Running over SSH or in a bare terminal? Add `-display curses` to render the boot screen as text instead of a window:
|
|
```bash
|
|
qemu-system-x86_64 -fda boot.bin -display curses
|
|
```
|
|
Quit with `Ctrl-A` then `X`.
|
|
|
|
### Troubleshooting
|
|
|
|
| Symptom | Cause |
|
|
|---|---|
|
|
| `Boot failed: not a bootable disk` | `boot.bin` is not a valid boot sector: it must be exactly 512 bytes and end with the `0xAA55` boot signature. Re-run the `nasm` step and check it completes without errors. |
|
|
| Black screen / blinking cursor | The boot sector only speaks legacy BIOS (`int 0x10` text mode). This works out of the box with QEMU's default SeaBIOS firmware but will not boot under UEFI-only firmware (or UEFI-only real hardware) unless legacy/CSM boot is enabled. |
|
|
| No window appears under WSL2 | Use the `-display curses` variant above. It should work in any terminal. |
|
|
|
|
## Contributing
|
|
|
|
Every contribution is welcome. Please fork and send a pull request if you wish to contribute. You will be credited at the end of this very file. Please see the [CONTRIBUTING](CONTRIBUTING.md) file for more information.
|
|
|
|
## License
|
|
|
|
This software is released under the MIT license. See the [LICENSE](LICENSE) file for details. |