Praised by experts for its clarity and topical breadth, this visually appealing, one-stop source on PCs uses an easy-to-understand, step-by-step approach to teaching the fundamentals of 80x86 assembly language programming and PC architecture. Offering users a fun, hands-on learning experience, it uses the Debug utility to show what action the instruction performs, then provides a sample program to show its application. Reinforcing concepts with numerous examples and review questions, its oversized pages delve into dozens of related subjects, including DOS memory map, BIOS, microprocessor architecture, supporting chips, buses, interfacing techniques, system programming, memory hierarchy, DOS memory management, tables of instruction timings, hard disk characteristics, and more. For learners ready to master PC system programming. Praised by experts for its clarity and topical breadth, this visually appealing text provides an easy-to-understand, systematic approach to teaching the fundamentals of 80x86 assembly language programming and PC architecture. It offers readers a fun, hands-on learning experience and reinforces concepts with numerous examples and review questions. It uses the Debug utility to show what action the instruction performs, and then provides a sample program to show its application. The text delves into architecture, supporting chips, buses, interfacing techniques, system programming, hard disk characteristics, and more. The fourth edition: Covers all the 80x86 microprocessors from the 8088 to the Pentium Pro. - Combines assembly and C programming, and covers C programming in the last section of each chapter. - Introduces the 80x86 instructions with examples of how they are used. - Ensures a basic understanding of binary and hex numbering systems. - Discusses and analyzes hardware differences among 8086, 286, 386, 486, Pentium, and Pentium Pro chips. - Discusses 8-bit; 16-bit, and 32-bit interfacing of 80x86 microprocessors. - Shows a real-world approach to PC system programming by using fragments of programs from the IBM PC technical reference. - Provides an overview of the USB bus. Muhammad Ali Mazidi holds Master's degrees from both Southern Methodist University and the University of Texas at Dallas, and currently is a.b.d. on his Ph.D. in the Electrical Engineering Department of Southern Methodist University. He is a co-founder and chief researcher of Microprocessor Education Group, a company dedicated to bringing knowledge of microprocessors to the widest possible audience. He also teaches microprocessor-based system design at DeVry Institute of Technology in Dallas, Texas. Janice Gillispie Mazidi has a Master of Science degree in Computer Science from the University of North Texas. After several years experience as a, software engineer in Dallas, she co-founded Microprocessor Education Group, where she is the chief technical writer, production manager, and is responsible for software development and testing. The Mazidis have been married since 1985 and have two sons, Robert Nabil and Michael Jamal. PREFACE TO VOLUMES I AND II Purpose This combined volume is intended for use in college-level courses in which both Assembly language programming and 80x86 PC interfacing are discussed. It not only builds the foundation of Assembly language programming, but also provides a comprehensive treatment of 80x86 PC design and interfacing for students in engineering and computer science disciplines. This volume is intended for those who wish to gain an in-depth understanding of the internal working of the IBM PC, PS, and 80x86 compatible computers. It builds a foundation for the design and interfacing of microprocessor-based systems using the real-world example of the 80x86 IBM PC. In addition, it can also be used by practicing technicians, hardware engineers, computer scientists, and hobbyists who want to do PC interfacing and data acquisition. Prerequisites Readers should have a minimal familiarity with the IBM PC and the DOS operating system in addition to having had an introductory digital course. Knowledge of other programming languages would be helpful, but is not necessary. Although a vast majority of current PCs use 386, 486, or Pentium microprocessors, their design is based on the IBM PC/AT, an 80286 microprocessor system introduced in 1984. A good portion of PC/AT features, hence its limitations, are based on the original IBM PC, an 8088 microprocessor system, introduced in 1981. In other words, one cannot expect to understand fully the architectural philosophy of the 80x86 PC and its expansion slot signals unless the 80286 PC/AT and its subset, the IBM PC/XT, are first understood. For this reason, we describe the 8088 and 80286 microprocessors in Chapter 9. Contents of Volume I A systematic, step-by-step approach has been used in covering various aspects of Assembly language programming. Many examples and sample programs are given to clarify concepts and provide student