So to learn assembly

I need to read the processor manufacturer's manuals?

Well...

>>1
I recommend learning the Intel64 architecture.

http://www.intel.com/products/processor/manuals/index.htm

Start with volume 1 and refer to volumes 2A and 2B when you start experimenting.

That's one way to do it, though probably not the wisest.
I learnt x86 assembly by learning how to reverse engineer binaries. Then I began writing trainers in MASM, after
reading some tutorials, and it pretty much took off from
there.

With x86, probably the hardest thing to learn is how
the stack works, and the x86 segmented memory model
(though rather obsolete now due to the 32-bit address
space and virtual memory.)

>>3
Oh and you'll have to read this too: http://www.x86-64.org/documentation/abi-0.99.pdf

>>3
Volume 1 is what I downloaded for now, though thanks to your link I found out I have a 3-year-old version and got a newer one.

>>4
Well, I'm not going to read everything. Right now I'm reading through the section on the execution environment, so that I'll understand what's actually going on.
Reverse-engineering binaries sounds kind of interesting, but I doubt I'll be able to do anything like that anytime soon.

>>5
I was going to look at ABIs too (to make my own toy language lol), but I think I'll rather try to learn x86 assembly for now.

You read the art of assembly language (16-bit) dos version by Randall Hyde, or the other one by Kip Irvine.  You do the associated exercises as well.  Then you pick your favourite real mode DOS-game and try to reverse engineer it.

Or if you're a faggot, you can do crackmes.

>>1
Yes, but you don't have to read them in full.
Read everything to understand the base architecture, then start reading or writing asm code. Reading can be done by reverse engineering binaries or just reading other people's code, and then refer to the Intel manuals for reference.

Order the hardcopy manuals and read 1-2 chapters a day. You will achieve satori mastery of the Intel architecture.

>>7
Is Randall Hyde the same as rand(all)?

Every post in this thread is a troll,

>>1
using disassembled binaries from modern optimizing compilers will serve only to confuse the fuck out of you.

download the source code to menuetOS or some other project written in ASM, and look to that for examples.

>>6
I was going to look at ABIs too (to make my own toy language lol), but I think I'll rather try to learn x86 assembly for now.
You can't call any library functions or system calls without knowing the ABIs.

Learn assembly for a RISC processor. It's enlightening.

...but, yeah, memorize cdecl and the x86-64 calling conventions. They'll take you a long way.

x86-64 calling conventions
Terrible!

It's like fastcall... except with vengeance!

>>10
no

>>14
s/enlightening/boring/

http://easy68k.com/

>>13
The link >>5 posted was for the AMD64 ABI, I meant that I'm going to look for documents about x86.
Please don't _{HAX MY ANUS} if I'm using the term “ABI” the wrong way :|

Learn it, it's a common ABI shared by a lot of OSes, unlike other systems on x86 with their own ABIs.

<-- check em dubz

24 Name: tray 2012-03-14 15:26

you better be