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Where can I find info about damn-low level architecture?

Hi,

I'm looking for the answer ... to following question:
How it all works, I mean how my code, even assembler code or opcode, gets executed? I don't want to read about 'moving pointer on the call stack' or 'processor does one thing or other' or anything like that. I'd like to know how it works on electrical level. Is there any nice source for that kind of information- except maybe some university..... Any book or website you could reccomend?? I can handle any fancy math or physics.

Another questions would be:
1) why I actually need motherboard
2) where is FSB?

Thanks in adv.

Re: Where can I find info about damn-low level architecture?

Hello edek,
I cut my teeth learning the workings of computers, processors, and cpu chips by building my first computer from a kit ( see Altair 8800: http://www.digibarn.com/collections/...00/index.html).
I had to hand code the assembly language programs since I did not have an assembler, so had to know how each instruction worked within the CPU. This is down to the level of where the 1's and 0's go, and what they do. Whether they are instructions (to the cpu) or data (to memory).
here are a few other links that will provide some insight as to the inner workings:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altair_8800 (at least read "description" & "software" headings
http://tldp.org/LDP/tlk/basics/hw.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motherboard

That should answer most of your questions, if not - leave me a message. Oh, and a good paperback to read would be Tracy Kidder's "Soul of a new Machine" about the beginings of Data General, back when CPU's (the processing unit, equivalent IN NAME ONLY to a Intel Pentium chip) were made by individual circuits on multiple interconnected boards (a bus)

Happy learning ! Glad you are interested in how it all works, not too many people are these days.