NotOS/1: Niv & OrangeTide OS

Introduction

Operating system for security research on lightweight hardware and minimal environments.

Dedication

This project is dedicated to the memory of Jonathan Stuart 1983-2019.

Prerequisites

This programs must be installed on your system before proceeding:

• GNU make, bash, curl
• a compiler configured for cross-compiling: GCC or LLVM/clang (crosstool-ng or doit)
• QEMU: specifically qemu-system-x86_64

Setup: Ubuntu/Debian

TODO: describe how to get started

Tools We Download & Use

These programs are automatically downloaded by the build and test scripts.

• SYSLINUX

Building

Possible build targets (output from make help):

Usage:
  make all              Build everything.
  make clean            Clean built files.
  make clean-all        Clean intermediate files and built files.
  make dist-clean       Clean downloaded files, and all artifacts above.
  make run              Start the emulator
  make test             Run the test suite

Easiest way to start is to launch the emulator:

make run

Contributing

TODO: add guidelines for contributing:

• Sending merge requests.
• Filing bugs and feature requests.
• Community chat and forum access.

Development Notes

Troubleshooting ISO Image Build

A few diagnostic utilities are freely available to aid in the troubleshooting of the ISO image.

Dump ISO details:

isoinfo -i install.iso -d

List ISO file contents:

isoinfo -i install.iso -f

Configuring Continous Integration (CI)

Web tool for linting .travis.yml file.

Research

References

• Multiboot 2 Specification and Multiboot 1 Specification
• El Torito Boot
• iBCS User Space Emulation
• The Heirloom Project
• Graphical User Interface Gallery
• GCC Cross-Compiler Build Guide

Design Papers

• Lexical File Names in Plan 9 or Getting Dot-Dot Right
• The Use of Name Spaces in Plan 9

Other Operating Systems

• xv6 - Unix-like teaching operating system
• LittleKernel/LK
• ToaruOS
• SerenityOS
• Contiki
• FUZIX
• COHERENT - Unix clone produced by Mark Williams Company in the 1980's and 1990's.
• NewOS
• VSTa / Valencia Simple Tasker
• Plan 9 from Bell Labs
• Inferno
• TempleOS
• Collapse OS
• codezero microkernel
• LμKOS
• Horizon Microkernel
• Qubes OS - VM based OS with a focus on secure architecture

Hobby Operating Systems

• ChaiOS
• jatos
• GRUB invaders (alternate)
• Multiboot Basic Graphics
• mOS
• JehanneOS
• YayOS
• CPL-1
• Desparity
• boros
• gramado
• Cyjon
• MollenOS
• bedrock-os
• Skeles
• BeeOs
• Odyssey
• LearnOS
• LF OS
• MushOS

Interesting Tools and Environments

• The MGR Window System
• OpenGEM and OpenGEM SDK
• FreeGEM distribution
• Xynth Windowing System
• BOOTBOOT - Alternative to GRUB and SYSLINUX
• Raspberry Pi Vulkan Driver for Pi3 and earlier - NVIDIA engineer made a proof-of-concept Vulkan implementation as a hobby project
• YAMS - Yet Another Multiboot System

Learning, Tutorials, and Guides

• Lions Commentary on the Sixth Edition UNIX Operating System
• OS Dev wiki
• Creating a 64-bit kernel
• Simple multiboot compliant kernel
• Rendezvous (Plan 9)
  • Process Sleep and Wakeup on Shared-memory Multiprocessor
• Slide presentation for Microkernel Design
• Multiboot on OSDev Wiki
• Bare Bones
• Developing an Operating System
• x86 Bare Metal Examples