What This Document Is
These are detailed lecture notes from CS 686 – Computer Graphics at the University of San Francisco. The notes delve into the foundational aspects of interacting with computer hardware, specifically focusing on how software manages and accesses disk storage. It explores the low-level processes involved in loading programs and understanding disk organization, moving beyond high-level operating system abstractions. The material centers around the practicalities of accessing a hard disk at a sector level, a crucial understanding for anyone developing graphics systems or working with performance-critical applications.
Why This Document Matters
This resource is invaluable for students in computer graphics or systems programming courses who need a deep understanding of how software interacts with hardware. It’s particularly helpful when you’re tasked with optimizing performance, debugging low-level issues, or building custom system tools. These notes will be most beneficial when you’re studying computer architecture, operating systems, or when you begin implementing graphics algorithms that require direct hardware access. Students preparing to work on projects involving bootloaders or custom system software will find this material essential.
Common Limitations or Challenges
These notes are highly technical and assume a foundational understanding of computer architecture and assembly language concepts. They do *not* provide a complete course in operating systems or hardware design; rather, they focus on specific aspects relevant to computer graphics development. The notes also do not include pre-written code or complete program examples – they focus on the underlying principles and structures. Access to additional course materials and a strong grasp of C/C++ will be beneficial when applying the concepts presented.
What This Document Provides
* An exploration of the “bootstrapping” process and its necessity in low-level programming.
* Detailed explanations of disk organization, including sectors, partitions, and Logical Block Addressing (LBA).
* An overview of the Master Boot Record (MBR) and its critical role in disk management.
* Insights into accessing disk services through BIOS interrupts.
* A breakdown of data structures used for disk access, such as the Disk-Address Packet.
* Discussion of partition table entries and their associated type identifiers.
