Int 15/AX=E820h

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Newer BIOSes - GET SYSTEM MEMORY MAP

AX = E820h
EAX = 0000E820h
EDX = 534D4150h ('SMAP')
EBX = continuation value or 00000000h to start at beginning of map
ECX = size of buffer for result, in bytes (should be >= 20 bytes)
ES:DI -> buffer for result (see #00581)

Return:
CF clear if successful EAX = 534D4150h ('SMAP') ES:DI buffer filled EBX = next offset from which to copy or 00000000h if all done ECX = actual length returned in bytes CF set on error AH = error code (86h) (see #00496 at INT 15/AH=80h)

Notes: Originally introduced with the Phoenix BIOS v4.0, this function is now supported by most newer BIOSes, since various versions of Windows call it to find out about the system memory. A maximum of 20 bytes will be transferred at one time, even if ECX is higher; some BIOSes (e.g. Award Modular BIOS v4.50PG) ignore the value of ECX on entry, and always copy 20 bytes. Some BIOSes expect the high word of EAX to be clear on entry, i.e. EAX=0000E820h. If this function is not supported, an application should fall back to AX=E802h, AX=E801h, and then AH=88h. The BIOS is permitted to return a nonzero continuation value in EBX and indicate that the end of the list has already been reached by returning with CF set on the next iteration. This function will return base memory and ISA/PCI memory contiguous with base memory as normal memory ranges; it will indicate chipset-defined address holes which are not in use and motherboard memory-mapped devices, and all occurrences of the system BIOS as reserved; standard PC address ranges will not be reported

See Also: AH=C7h - AX=E801h"Phoenix" - AX=E881h - MEM xxxx

Format of Phoenix BIOS system memory map address range descriptor: Offset Size Description (Table 00580) 00h QWORD base address 08h QWORD length in bytes 10h DWORD type of address range (see #00581)

(Table 00581) Values for System Memory Map address type: 01h memory, available to OS 02h reserved, not available (e.g. system ROM, memory-mapped device) 03h ACPI Reclaim Memory (usable by OS after reading ACPI tables) 04h ACPI NVS Memory (OS is required to save this memory between NVS sessions) other not defined yet -- treat as Reserved

See Also: #00580

Category: Vendor-specific BIOS Extensions - Int 15h - N

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