Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) in modern computers

[SSA-Ed]

In 1980 IBM standardized the HAL addresses [A000-FFFF]. How does the HAL get assembled in a modern computer?

 

[DelJo63]

This is a software driver provided by the vendor.

 

[SSA-Ed]

If you have no clue to what the HAL is, why respond?

 

[DelJo63]

HAL: Hardware Abstraction Layer.

The HAL driver layer provides a generic multi-instance simple set of APIs (application programming
interfaces) to interact with the upper layer (application, libraries and stacks).
The HAL driver APIs are split into two categories: generic APIs which provide common and generic
functions for all the STM32 series and extension APIs which include specific and customized functions
for a given line or part number. The HAL drivers include a complete set of ready-to-use APIs which
simplify the user application implementation. As an example, the communication peripherals contain
APIs to initialize and configure the peripheral, manage data transfers in polling mode, handle interrupts
or DMA, and manage communication errors.
The HAL drivers are feature-oriented instead of IP-oriented. As an example, the timer APIs are split into
several categories following the IP functions: basic timer, capture, pulse width modulation (PWM), etc..
The HAL driver layer implements run-time failure detection by checking the input values of all functions.
Such dynamic checking contributes to enhance the firmware robustness. Run-time detection is also
suitable for user application development and debugging.

 

[SSA-Ed]

I think one of us has a misunderstanding of the Hardware Abstraction Layer, it may be me. But computers today turn "on" the same way today as 40 years ago, and it's the BIOS that initially, populates the HAL (a fixed 384K region of memory) before transferring control to the OS boot sector.

 

[DelJo63]

I think one of us has a misunderstanding of the Hardware Abstraction Layer, it may be me. But computers today turn "on" the same way today as 40 years ago, and it's the BIOS that initially, populates the HAL (a fixed 384K region of memory) before transferring control to the OS boot sector.

Yes, and NONE of that uses HAL. The kernel that gets booted doesn't use HAL either, as it's basically a technique to isolate the applications from the hardware.