CODEWITHSUNDEEP
x86intelprotected-modereal-mode
Kamalakshi
Kamalakshi

Reputation: 7558

Why cannot BIOS be written to run in protected mode?

Are there still 8088 based computers or pre-80286 computers in use? Why should this backward-compatibility feature of "first-starting-in-real-mode" be still present if those old processors are not in use anymore? Why cannot processors directly run in protected mode and avoid all the compatibility hack etc? Why cannot BIOS be written to run directly in protected mode?

Upvotes: 0

Views: 440

Answers (1)

Timothy Baldwin
Timothy Baldwin

Reputation: 3675

BIOS has largely been replaced by UEFI which does run mostly in long mode (or protected mode in a few systems) and typically invokes the operating system in long mode.

Many (most?) UEFI implementations provide a BIOS compatibility layer.

Upvotes: 2

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