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2   Simics/x86 Overview

2.1   Introduction

Simics x86-440bx can model various PC systems with x86 or AMD64 processors based on the 440BX chipset. Legacy systems based on ISA are modelled by Simics/x86-PC-AT. Supported Intel processors range from 486sx to Pentium 4 with EM64T. There is also support for a generic AMD64 processor with some K8-like features, but still using the Intel 440BX chipset.

Several operating systems, including versions of Windows, Linux, and NetBSD have been installed and run successfully on Simics.

Note that the same basic machine configuration is used for all the available target processors. Some operating systems might be confused to see machines that cannot exist in reality, such as a 12 processor 486sx system, or an AMD64 machine with an Intel chipset.

With Simics comes a custom BIOS with full support for multiprocessing according to the MPS and ACPI specifications. The custom BIOS supports up to 15 processors, but note that most Linux versions are limited to 8 processors, and that Windows has different limits depending on which flavour of Windows it is.

Virtutech provides hard-disk dumps for some Linux versions on x86. Windows dumps are not available from Virtutech, but it is possible to create disk dumps by installing Windows on top of Simics. More information on how to install an OS on Simics is available in chapter 6.

2.2   Simulated Hardware

Not all supported hardware models are available in every Simics distribution. Contact your Virtutech sales representative if you are interested in hardware that is not included in your distribution.

Processors

PC architecture devices

Chipset ASICs

ISA devices

PCI devices

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