Hi, I was just wondering how an DOS interrupt can make the computer boot? What kinda code is behind it that can make the Hardware reset? I am just wondering about the logic behind this? Do motherboards have some kinda of a processor that makes the board do certain things for certain code paterns passed to it? Thanks

A normal DOS Interrupt would not make the sytem reboot unless there was something wrong with the parameters or the code handling the Interrupt. Unless the DOS interrupt was calling code that forces a Reset. There are however many invalid code conditions detected by the processor hardware that can cause execption interrupts, for example an invalid Operation Code (instruction) or invalid (out of range) address. If a second invalid code condition occurs during the handling of an exception interrupt (such a no valid handler for the first exception) then the processor itself generates an internal Reset and depending on the type(s) of errors, either hangs the processor bus or begains execution of the Power On Reset code in the BIOS. Some chip sets used on system boards, can detect a processor bus that has hung and force a processor reset. In addition, there are circuits on system boards, that code can activate that force a processor reset. Normally however, any time a DOS Interrupt function call results in a Reset, it is due to some DOS program bug corrupting the system somehow.