Operating System Stored Inside x86 CPU

[asian1]

IBM had announced new non volatile memory that can be integrated into future PowerPC CPUs.

If an x86 CPU vendor buy the license and put non volatile memory inside their CPU, is it possible to store Operating System inside the new CPU?

If this idea possible and AmigaOS is ported to x86, is this CPU with bundled AmigaOS a good solution?
1. Use ordinary x86 boards. The computer can also be used for Linux, Windows XP etc.
2. Prevent piracy, perhaps the OS will check the CPU serial number.

Is this idea possible?

[skurk]

I don't know much about this subject, these are just my assumptions:

The first question that pops into my head is: When (not "if", but "when") a critical flaw is discovered, how do you patch it?  If it is possible to flash the ROM in run-time from the OS, how do you prevent, say, a virus from flashing itself onto the chip as well?

Then there's space.  How many kB or MB will be available on the CPU?  I guess you could fit a microkernel, but not Windows XP for example - at least not with today's standards.

And finally: Purpose.  What's the purpose?  Booting faster?  In that case, why not develop a PCIX card with 4 GB flash working as the main drive (OS only, and read-only), where the hard drive acts as a slave drive containing temporary files and applications/games/movies/pr0n.  Or do something in the lanes of the LinuxBIOS project.

 ;-)

-skurk

[the_leander]

asian1 wrote:
If an x86 CPU vendor buy the license and put non volatile memory inside their CPU, is it possible to store Operating System inside the new CPU?

If there was enough memory available I shouldn't see why not.

If this idea possible and AmigaOS is ported to x86, is this CPU with bundled AmigaOS a good solution?

Those are two very big ifs, the first, not going to happen, AmigaOS is EOL, it is a dead parrot. As to the latter, who in their right mind would bundle it with an OS that beyond a tiny subset of computer enthusiasts no one would use?

1. Use ordinary x86 boards. The computer can also be used for Linux, Windows XP etc.
2. Prevent piracy, perhaps the OS will check the CPU serial number.

Is this idea possible?

Like so many of your ideas, it is possible, but so impractical and hinging on so many ifs buts and maybes that it'll never happen.

[Ilwrath]

I doubt we'd be talking about enough memory on one of these to really house an operating system.  

An interesting use could be to allow software patching of processors that may have a bug or flaw.  An imperfectly manufactured processor could be fixed by a software/firmware type patch, thus increasing usable production yields and decreasing prices for manufacturers.

Possibly another one (if there's much more memory and it's accessible by an end-user) could be to have a very small JIT or abstraction layer in there.  That could give some interesting options.   Want a specialized operation that will be executed a lot?  Add it to the processor, yourself.  Could be a great optimization for embedded processors, etc.    novel idea.

Of course, viruses could be nasty on this sucker.  One that overwrites a math operation and causes it to return a wrong value...  Eeek!  How much can you trust your processor?