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not to be confused with Advanced RISC Machines


Advanced RISC Computing (ARC) is a specification promulgated by a defunct consortium of computer
Computer

A computer is a machine that manipulates Data according to a list of Code .The first devices that resemble modern computers date to the mid-20th century , although the computer concept and various machines similar to computers existed earlier....
 manufacturers (the Advanced Computing Environment
Advanced Computing Environment

The Advanced Computing Environment was defined by an industry consortium in the early 1990s to be the next generation commodity computing platform, the successor to personal computers based on Intel's x86....
 project), setting forth a standard MIPS
MIPS Technologies

MIPS Technologies, Inc. , formerly MIPS Computer Systems, is most widely known for developing the MIPS architecture and a series of pioneering Reduced instruction set computer Central processing unit....
 RISC-based computer hardware
Computer hardware

A personal computer is made up of computer hardware, multiple physical components onto which can be loaded into a multitude of software that perform the functions of the computer....
 and firmware
Firmware

Firmware is a term sometimes used to denote the fixed, usually rather small, programs that internally control various electronic devices. Typical examples range from end user products such as remote controls or calculators, via computer parts and devices like harddisks, keyboard s, TFT screens or memory cards, all the way to scientific instr...
 environment.

Although ACE went defunct, and no computer was ever manufactured which fully complied with the ARC standard, nonetheless the ARC system still exerts a widespread legacy in that all Microsoft
Microsoft

Microsoft Corporation is a multinational corporation computer technology corporation that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of computer software products for computing devices....
 Windows NT
Windows NT

Windows NT is a family of operating systems produced by Microsoft, the first version of which was released in July 1993. It was originally designed to be a powerful high-level-language-based, processor-independent, multiprocessing, multiuser operating system with features comparable to Unix....
-based operating systems (such as Windows XP
Windows XP

Windows XP is a line of operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptop, and media centers....
) used ARC conventions for naming boot
Booting

In computing, booting is a Bootstrapping process that starts operating systems when the user turns on a computer system. A boot sequence is the initial set of operations that the computer performs when it is switched on....
 devices before Windows Vista
Windows Vista

Windows Vista is one member in a family of operating systems developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business Desktop computer, laptops, Tablet PCs, and media center PCs....
.

Further, SGI
Silicon Graphics

Silicon Graphics, Inc. is a company manufacturer high-performance computing solutions, including computer hardware and computer software. SGI was founded by James H....
 uses a modified version of the ARC firmware (which it calls ARCS) in its systems. All SGI computers which run IRIX
IRIX

IRIX is a computer operating system developed by Silicon Graphics, Inc. to run natively on their 32- and 64-bit MIPS architecture workstations and servers....
 6.1 or later (such as the Indy
SGI Indy

The Indy, code-named "Guinness", is a low-end workstation introduced on 12 July 1993. Developed and manufactured by Silicon Graphics , it was the result of their attempt to obtain a share of the low-end computer-aided design market, which was dominated at the time by other workstation vendors; and the desktop publishing and multimedia mark...
, Octane
SGI Octane

The SGI Octane and the similar SGI Octane2 are Unix workstations marketed by Silicon Graphics. Both are 2-way Symmetric multiprocessing-capable workstations, originally based on the MIPS architecture R10000 microprocessor....
, etc.) boot from an ARCS console (which uses the same drive naming conventions as Windows, accordingly).

In addition, most of the various RISC-based computers designed to run Windows NT used versions of the ARC boot console to boot NT.






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not to be confused with Advanced RISC Machines


Advanced RISC Computing (ARC) is a specification promulgated by a defunct consortium of computer
Computer

A computer is a machine that manipulates Data according to a list of Code .The first devices that resemble modern computers date to the mid-20th century , although the computer concept and various machines similar to computers existed earlier....
 manufacturers (the Advanced Computing Environment
Advanced Computing Environment

The Advanced Computing Environment was defined by an industry consortium in the early 1990s to be the next generation commodity computing platform, the successor to personal computers based on Intel's x86....
 project), setting forth a standard MIPS
MIPS Technologies

MIPS Technologies, Inc. , formerly MIPS Computer Systems, is most widely known for developing the MIPS architecture and a series of pioneering Reduced instruction set computer Central processing unit....
 RISC-based computer hardware
Computer hardware

A personal computer is made up of computer hardware, multiple physical components onto which can be loaded into a multitude of software that perform the functions of the computer....
 and firmware
Firmware

Firmware is a term sometimes used to denote the fixed, usually rather small, programs that internally control various electronic devices. Typical examples range from end user products such as remote controls or calculators, via computer parts and devices like harddisks, keyboard s, TFT screens or memory cards, all the way to scientific instr...
 environment.

Although ACE went defunct, and no computer was ever manufactured which fully complied with the ARC standard, nonetheless the ARC system still exerts a widespread legacy in that all Microsoft
Microsoft

Microsoft Corporation is a multinational corporation computer technology corporation that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of computer software products for computing devices....
 Windows NT
Windows NT

Windows NT is a family of operating systems produced by Microsoft, the first version of which was released in July 1993. It was originally designed to be a powerful high-level-language-based, processor-independent, multiprocessing, multiuser operating system with features comparable to Unix....
-based operating systems (such as Windows XP
Windows XP

Windows XP is a line of operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptop, and media centers....
) used ARC conventions for naming boot
Booting

In computing, booting is a Bootstrapping process that starts operating systems when the user turns on a computer system. A boot sequence is the initial set of operations that the computer performs when it is switched on....
 devices before Windows Vista
Windows Vista

Windows Vista is one member in a family of operating systems developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business Desktop computer, laptops, Tablet PCs, and media center PCs....
.

Further, SGI
Silicon Graphics

Silicon Graphics, Inc. is a company manufacturer high-performance computing solutions, including computer hardware and computer software. SGI was founded by James H....
 uses a modified version of the ARC firmware (which it calls ARCS) in its systems. All SGI computers which run IRIX
IRIX

IRIX is a computer operating system developed by Silicon Graphics, Inc. to run natively on their 32- and 64-bit MIPS architecture workstations and servers....
 6.1 or later (such as the Indy
SGI Indy

The Indy, code-named "Guinness", is a low-end workstation introduced on 12 July 1993. Developed and manufactured by Silicon Graphics , it was the result of their attempt to obtain a share of the low-end computer-aided design market, which was dominated at the time by other workstation vendors; and the desktop publishing and multimedia mark...
, Octane
SGI Octane

The SGI Octane and the similar SGI Octane2 are Unix workstations marketed by Silicon Graphics. Both are 2-way Symmetric multiprocessing-capable workstations, originally based on the MIPS architecture R10000 microprocessor....
, etc.) boot from an ARCS console (which uses the same drive naming conventions as Windows, accordingly).

In addition, most of the various RISC-based computers designed to run Windows NT used versions of the ARC boot console to boot NT. Among these computers were:

  • MIPS R4000-based systems such as the MIPS Magnum
    MIPS Magnum

    The MIPS Magnum was a line of computer workstations designed by MIPS Technologies and based on the MIPS architecture series of RISC microprocessors....
     workstation
  • all Alpha
    DEC Alpha

    Alpha, originally known as Alpha AXP, was a 64-bit reduced instruction set computer instruction set architecture developed by Digital Equipment Corporation , designed to replace the 32-bit VAX complex instruction set computer ISA and its implementations....
    -based machines with a PCI
    Peripheral Component Interconnect

    The PCI Local Bus , or Conventional PCI, is a computer bus for attaching computer hardware in a computer. These devices can take either the form of an integrated circuit fitted onto the motherboard itself, called a planar device in the PCI specification or an expansion card that fits into a socket....
     bus designed prior to the end of support for Windows NT Alpha in September 1999 (the Alpha ARC firmware was also known as AlphaBIOS)
  • most Windows NT-capable PowerPC
    PowerPC

    PowerPC is a RISC instruction set architecture created by the 1991 Apple Inc.?IBM?Motorola alliance, known as AIM alliance. Originally intended for personal computers, PowerPC CPUs have since become popular embedded system and high-performance processors....
     computers (such as the IBM RS/6000
    RS/6000

    RISC System/6000, or RS/6000 for short, is a family of RISC and UNIX based Server s, workstations and supercomputers made by IBM in the 1990s....
     40P).


It was also predicted that Intel IA-32
IA-32

IA-32 , often generically called x86 or x86-32, is the instruction set architecture of Intel's most commercially successful microprocessors....
-based computers would adopt the ARC console, although only SGI ever marketed such IA-32-based machines with ARC firmware (namely, the SGI Visual Workstation
SGI Visual Workstation

The SGI Visual Workstation series was a line of computer workstations manufactured by Silicon Graphics and designed to run Windows NT, Windows 2000 and Linux....
 series, which went on sale in 1999).

Products complying (to some degree) with the ARC standard include:

  • Alpha
    • DEC
      Digital Equipment Corporation

      Digital Equipment Corporation was a pioneering United States company in the computer industry. It is often referred to within the computing industry as DEC ....
       Multia
      DEC Multia

      The Multia, later re-branded the Universal Desktop Box, was a line of desktop computers introduced by Digital Equipment Corporation on 7 November 1994....
       and AlphaStation
      AlphaStation

      AlphaStation was the name given to a series of computer workstations, produced from 1994 onwards by Digital Equipment Corporation, and latterly by Compaq and Hewlett-Packard....
      /AlphaServer
      AlphaServer

      AlphaServer was the name given to a series of server computers, produced from 1994 onwards by Digital Equipment Corporation, and latterly by Compaq and Hewlett-Packard....
    • DeskStation Raptor
  • i386
    • SGI Visual Workstation
      SGI Visual Workstation

      The SGI Visual Workstation series was a line of computer workstations manufactured by Silicon Graphics and designed to run Windows NT, Windows 2000 and Linux....
  • MIPS
    • Acer
      Acer (company)

      Acer Incorporated is a Taiwanese multinational electronics manufacturer. It owns the largest franchised computer retail chain in Taipei, Taiwan....
       PICA
      Acer PICA

      Acer PICA is a computer architecture designed by Acer circa 1993. It was based on the MIPS architecture RISC CPU and Jazz architecture. This computer was designed to run Windows NT/MIPS, and therefore used Advanced RISC Computing firmware to boot Windows NT....
    • Carrera Computers, Inc Cobra R4000 and VIPER
    • Digital
      Digital Equipment Corporation

      Digital Equipment Corporation was a pioneering United States company in the computer industry. It is often referred to within the computing industry as DEC ....
       DECstation 5000
      DECstation

      The DECstation was a brand of computers used by Digital Equipment Corporation, and refers to three distinct lines of computer systems—the first released in 1978 as a word processing system, and the latter two both released in 1989....
    • DeskStation Tyne
      DeskStation Tyne

      The DeskStation Tyne was a line of computer workstations made by DeskStation Technology and based on the MIPS Technologies MIPS architecture series of RISC microprocessors....
    • Microsoft
      Microsoft

      Microsoft Corporation is a multinational corporation computer technology corporation that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of computer software products for computing devices....
       Jazz
      Jazz (computer)

      The Jazz computer architecture was a motherboard and chipset design originally developed by Microsoft for use in developing Windows NT. The design was eventually used as the basis for most MIPS architecture-based Windows NT systems....
    • MIPS Magnum
      MIPS Magnum

      The MIPS Magnum was a line of computer workstations designed by MIPS Technologies and based on the MIPS architecture series of RISC microprocessors....
    • Olivetti
      Olivetti

      Ing. C. Olivetti & Co., SpA., known as Olivetti, is an Italy manufacturer of computers, computer printers and other business machines....
       M700
    • NEC RISCstation
      NEC RISCstation

      The NEC RISCstation was a line of computer workstations made by NEC Corporation in the mid-1990s, based on MIPS architecture RISC microprocessors and designed to run Microsoft Windows NT....
    • NeTpower Fastseries MP
    • SGI
      Silicon Graphics

      Silicon Graphics, Inc. is a company manufacturer high-performance computing solutions, including computer hardware and computer software. SGI was founded by James H....
       Indigo², Indy
      SGI Indy

      The Indy, code-named "Guinness", is a low-end workstation introduced on 12 July 1993. Developed and manufactured by Silicon Graphics , it was the result of their attempt to obtain a share of the low-end computer-aided design market, which was dominated at the time by other workstation vendors; and the desktop publishing and multimedia mark...
      , Challenge, Onyx, Origin etc. Big-Endian ARCS
    • Siemens-Nixdorf
      Siemens AG

      Siemens Aktiengesellschaft is Europe's largest engineering Conglomerate . Siemens' international headquarters are located in Berlin and Munich, Germany....
       RM200, RM300, RM400
  • PowerPC
    • IBM
      IBM

      International Business Machines Corporation, abbreviated IBM and nicknamed "Big Blue" , is a multinational corporation computer technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, New York, United States....
       Personal Computer Power Series 850/830
      IBM PC Series

      The IBM PC Series personal computer was the follow-on to the IBM PS/ValuePoint and IBM Personal System/2. Announced in October 1994 and withdrawn in October 2000, it was replaced by the IBM NetVista, apart from the Pentium Pro based PC360 and PC365 which where replaced by the IBM IntelliStation....
       PReP
      Prep

      Prep may refer to:* P-rep, a statistical value of the probability of replicating an observed effect* Curtis Sittenfeld#Prep, a novel by Curtis Sittenfeld...
    • IBM RS/6000
      IBM System p

      The System p, formerly known as RS/6000, was International Business Machines's RISC/Unix-based server and workstation product line.In April 2008, IBM announced a rebranding of the System p and its unification with the System i platform....
       40P, 43P, E20, F30
    • Motorola
      Motorola

      Motorola, Inc. is an United States, multinational, Fortune 100, telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois. It is a manufacturer of wireless telephone handsets, also designing and selling wireless network infrastructure equipment such as cellular transmission base stations and signal amplifiers....
       PowerStack
    • Tangent MediaStar


External links

  • Linux-MIPS () article