3.4. Compiling Bochs

3.4.1. Standard Compile

Bochs is written in C++, so you need a C++ compiler on your system. Most platforms have been tested with GNU gcc/g++, but other compilers are known to work too. By now, you should have unpacked your source TAR file or checked out Bochs from SVN. If not, you can return to Downloading Bochs for details. The top level directory of the source code will be referred to as $BOCHS. ($BOCHS contains the files bochs.h and main.cc and subdirectories cpu and bios.)

The standard compile process has three basic steps: configure, make, and make install. Each step is described in a separate section below. The standard compile process is used on all Unix machines, MacOS X, and Cygwin (win32). There are separate instructions for compiling for Win32 with Microsoft VC++.

  export CC=egcs
  export CXX="$CC"
  export CFLAGS="-Wall -O2 -m486 -fomit-frame-pointer -pipe"
  export CXXFLAGS="$CFLAGS"

  sh .conf.win32-vcpp

  make unpack_dlx
  make install_dlx

3.4.2. Configure Options

This section describes the configure options for Bochs. Perhaps the most important option is --help, since it gives you a list of all the other options. The configure script will detect your platform and choose the default GUI for your platform. If the default choice is not what you want, use the --with-* options to override the default. The options in the first table tell which GUI library is the default for each platform. Starting in version 2.0, you can use multiple --with-* options at once to compile with multiple display libraries, and then choose between them at runtime with the display_library option in the configuration file. Or, you can let the configure script detect which libraries are on your system and use them all, by configuring with --with-all-libs.

The remaining options can generally be used with any GUI. For each option such as --enable-cdrom, you can also write --disable-cdrom to explicitly turn it off. The following 3 tables show the general options (.e.g debugger and plugins support), the CPU-related stuff (e.g. cpu level, SMP, x86_64 support) and the devices options (e.g. PCI, USB, Cirrus graphics).

3.4.3. Transcript of Successful Compilation

This example shows the output of a compilation and installation on Linux.

  user$ ls -l bochs-2.5.tar.gz
  -rw-r--r-- 1 user   users 4117999 27. Nov 17:14 bochs-2.5.tar.gz
  user$ gunzip -c bochs-2.5.tar.gz | tar -xvf -
  bochs-2.5/
  bochs-2.5/.conf.sparc
  bochs-2.5/build/
  bochs-2.5/build/macosx/
  bochs-2.5/build/macosx/pbdevelopment.plist
  bochs-2.5/build/macosx/make-dmg.sh
    .
    .
    .
  bochs-2.5/memory/memory.cc
  bochs-2.5/memory/misc_mem.cc
  bochs-2.5/memory/Makefile.in
  user$ cd bochs-2.5
  user$ ./configure --enable-cpu-level=6
  checking build system type... x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
  checking host system type... x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
  checking target system type... x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
  checking if you are configuring for another platform... no
  checking for standard CFLAGS on this platform...
  checking for gcc... gcc
    .
    .
    .
  config.status: creating build/win32/nsis/bochs.nsi
  config.status: creating host/linux/pcidev/Makefile
  config.status: creating config.h
  config.status: creating ltdlconf.h
  user$ make
  cd iodev && \
          make  libiodev.a
  make[1]: Entering directory `/home/volker/Archiv/test/bochs-2.5/iodev'
  g++ -c  -I.. -I./.. -I../instrument/stubs -I./../instrument/stubs -g -O2 -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -D_LARGE_FILES    devices.cc -o devices.o
  g++ -c  -I.. -I./.. -I../instrument/stubs -I./../instrument/stubs -g -O2 -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -D_LARGE_FILES    virt_timer.cc -o virt_timer.o
  g++ -c  -I.. -I./.. -I../instrument/stubs -I./../instrument/stubs -g -O2 -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -D_LARGE_FILES    slowdown_timer.cc -o slowdown_timer.o
  g++ -c  -I.. -I./.. -I../instrument/stubs -I./../instrument/stubs -g -O2 -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -D_LARGE_FILES    pic.cc -o pic.o
    .
    .
    .
  echo done
  done
  /bin/sh ./libtool --mode=link g++ -o bochs -g -O2 -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -D_LARGE_FILES      -DBX_SHARE_PATH='"/usr/local/share/bochs"'  -export-dynamic logio.o main.o config.o load32bitOShack.o pc_system.o osdep.o plugin.o crc.o   \
                  iodev/libiodev.a  cpu/libcpu.a cpu/cpudb/libcpudb.a \
                  memory/libmemory.a gui/libgui.a \
                  disasm/libdisasm.a   \
                  fpu/libfpu.a \
                  -lSM -lICE -lX11 -lXpm -lXrandr   \
                  \
                  \
                  \
                  \
                  -lm
  mkdir .libs
  g++ -o bochs -g -O2 -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -D_LARGE_FILES -DBX_SHARE_PATH=\"/usr/local/share/bochs\" logio.o main.o config.o load32bitOShack.o pc_system.o osdep.o plugin.o crc.o -Wl,--export-dynamic  iodev/libiodev.a cpu/libcpu.a cpu/cpudb/libcpudb.a memory/libmemory.a gui/libgui.a disasm/libdisasm.a fpu/libfpu.a -lSM -lICE -lX11 -lXpm -lXrandr -lm
  gcc -c -I. -I./. -Iinstrument/stubs -I./instrument/stubs -g -O2 -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -D_LARGE_FILES   ./misc/bximage.c -o misc/bximage.o
  /bin/sh ./libtool --mode=link g++ -o bximage -g -O2 -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -D_LARGE_FILES     misc/bximage.o
  g++ -o bximage -g -O2 -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -D_LARGE_FILES misc/bximage.o
  gcc -c -I. -I./. -Iinstrument/stubs -I./instrument/stubs -g -O2 -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -D_LARGE_FILES   ./misc/bxcommit.c -o misc/bxcommit.o
  /bin/sh ./libtool --mode=link g++ -o bxcommit -g -O2 -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -D_LARGE_FILES    misc/bxcommit.o
  g++ -o bxcommit -g -O2 -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -D_LARGE_FILES misc/bxcommit.o
  user$ su
  root# make install
  cd iodev && \
          make  libiodev.a
  make[1]: Entering directory `/home/volker/Archiv/test/bochs-2.5/iodev'
    .
    .
    .
  for i in CHANGES COPYING README TODO; do if test -f $i; then install -m 644 $i /usr/local/share/doc/bochs; else install -m 644 ./$i /usr/local/share/doc/bochs; fi; done
  rm -f /usr/local/share/doc/bochs/README
  cat ./build/linux/README.linux-binary ./README > /usr/local/share/doc/bochs/README
  install -m 644 ./.bochsrc /usr/local/share/doc/bochs/bochsrc-sample.txt
  root# exit
  user$ _

3.4.4. Compiling on Win32 with Microsoft VC++

The standard compile uses the configure script, but the Windows platform cannot run the configure script natively. The current solution to this problem is that the Bochs configure script must be run on a different platform that does support shell scripts, with options that cause it to configure for a Win32 platform instead of the native one. Many people have access to a UNIX machine that could run the configure script, or you can use Cygwin or MinGW/MSYS to run the configure script. [3].

Download the Bochs sources on a machine that can run shell scripts. Edit the configure shortcut script .conf.win32-vcpp if you want to adjust the configure options. Then type these commands in the Bochs source directory:

  sh .conf.win32-vcpp
  make win32_snap

When you have the Win32 sources transferred to a Windows machine with VC++, find the workspace file called bochs.sln in the folder "vs2013" and load it in VC++. Choose Project:Set Active Project and be sure that "bochs" is selected. Then choose Build:Build bochs.exe. This will build all the required libraries (iodev, cpu, etc.) and the auxiliary programs bximage.exe, bxhub.exe and niclist.exe.

Using workspaces is easy and intuitive, but there is one caveat. The workspaces come directly out of a ZIP file in build/win32/vs2013ex-workspace.zip, and they are not controlled by the configure script. When you compile with certain configure options (e.g. --with-sdl) you need to link with additional libraries. For now you must add them to the VC++ workspace by hand. In version 2.0, we have improved the situation considerably by adding #if...#endif around every optional file and including nearly every Bochs source file in the workspace. This solves the problem of having to manually add source files to the workspace when you turn on configure options such as --enable-debugger. The problem of adding link libraries remains unresolved.

An alternative way to compile is to run nmake.exe in an MS-DOS window. Instead of using the workspace files, nmake uses the Bochs makefiles that are generated by configure. The nmake method is currently used to build the release binaries.

The make install doesn't work with nmake yet. Currently it must be run inside of Cygwin or MinGW/MSYS and requires the environment variable INSTDIR to be set.

3.4.5. Compiling on Win32 with Cygwin or MinGW/MSYS

Cygwin is a free Unix-like environment for Windows written by Steve Chamberlain and now maintained by RedHat, Inc. You can download it from www.cygwin.com. Because Cygwin supports the configure script and uses GNU gcc/g++, you can use the standard compile process. The configure script should automatically detect Cygwin and add "-mno-cygwin -DWIN32" to the compiler options. You should get a working Bochs if you just type:

  configure
  make

  sh .conf.win32-cygwin
  make

When using gcc 4.7 or newer you need to add the switch -mno-ms-bitfields to the CFLAGS, to make sure that hdimage and network structures are packed as expected.

The command make install installs the Bochs files in the directory structure of your build environment. To install Bochs into any desired folder you need to use the install_win32 target. It requires the environment variable INSTDIR to be set.

3.4.6. Compiling on MacOS 9 with CodeWarrior

It is possible that this hasn't been tried since 1999. In theory, you run sh .conf.macos on a Unix box to build the makefiles and headers, copy the whole thing over to a Mac, and then use CodeWarrior to compile. Since it hasn't been tested in so long, it is quite likely that some work is needed to bring the Mac port up to date.

If you are interested and have the required MacOS development tools, please let us know by contacting the bochs-developers mailing list. Someone requests a MacOS port almost once a month, but none of the developers know how to help them.

3.4.7. Compiling on MacOS X

The port to MacOS X with Carbon API by Emmanuel Mailliard is quite new, and the configure and makefile support was added by Bryce Denney. You will need the compiler and libraries from the development tools CD. Bochs should configure and compile with the Carbon GUI if you simply type:

  configure
  make

  sh .conf.macosx
  make

On MacOS X the default GUI is the Carbon interface, but you can also try other Bochs GUIs. Use --with-x11 for X windows, --with-rfb for VNC/RFB, --with-sdl for SDL or --with-sdl2 for SDL2.

3.4.8. Compiling on Amiga/MorphOS

Nicholai Benalal created this port to MorphOS running on Amiga. It should compile with:

  configure
  make

3.4.9. Compiling with the RFB interface

The RFB code was written by Don Becker <x-odus@iname.com>, who has a Bochs-RFB web page on his site, http://www.psyon.org/bochs-rfb/.

This interface allows you to view the Bochs display with AT&T's VNC Viewer. The protocol used between a VNC server and a VNC viewer is called RFB. Because the RFB code in Bochs is written with portable network socket and POSIX thread code, it can be compiled on many platforms and has been tested in Linux and Win32. No additional libraries are required. To try it, type:

  configure --with-rfb
  make

• port range 5900 to 5949 (using the first one available)

• no authentification

• by default 30 seconds waiting for client

• 8 bpp (BGR233 / RGB332) supported only

• if client doesn't support resize: desktop size 720x480 (for text mode and standard VGA)

• if resize supported: maximum resolution 1280x1024

With the display library option "timeout" the default value of 30 seconds can be changed. With a value of 0 it is possible to start the simulation without a client connected.

3.4.10. Compiling with the VNCSRV interface

The LibVNCServer is a cross-platform library that allows to implement VNC server functionality easily. On platforms supported by LibVNCServer Bochs can be compiled with support for it this way:

  configure --with-vncsrv
  make

Unlike the RFB GUI this new implementation is not limited to 8 bpp and it is possible to connect a Bochs session with a web browser.

3.4.11. Compiling with the SDL interface

Dave Poirier has written an SDL interface for Bochs. Simple DirectMedia Layer, or SDL, is a cross-platform multimedia library distributed from libsdl.org. SDL is available for many platforms including Win32, Linux, BSD, IRIX, MacOS, MacOS X, and AmigaOS.

To compile Bochs with SDL, you must first install the SDL library from libsdl.org. You can either get the source code and compile it yourself, or install the development libraries for your platform (already compiled). Then, go into the Bochs directory and type:

  configure --with-sdl
  make

If you are on FreeBSD and have SDL installed using the ports collection, Bochs won't be able to find the library automatically, as the SDL config script is called sdl11-config in that case (even for version 1.2). The easiest way to make Bochs find it, is to create a symlink to that script called sdl-config inside a directory which is in the path. For example:

  ln -s /usr/local/bin/sdl11-config ~/bin/sdl-config

To compile in Microsoft VS2013Ex, you have to configure on a different system (see Compiling on Win32 with Microsoft VC++). Before running the configure script, you have to add --with-sdl to the shortcut script. If you have already configured, you can set BX_WITH_SDL to 1 in config.h.

Then you have to set up the project for SDL this way:

- add source file sdl.cc to the module gui
- add path to the SDL include files to the modules bochs and gui
- add lbraries SDL.lib and SDLmain.lib to the module bochs
- change the runtime library for all modules to Multithreaded-DLL (/MD)

3.4.12. Compiling with the SDL version 2 interface

The SDL library version 2 is now also supported by Bochs. For some basic information about SDL, see Section 3.4.11. The configure option to enable SDL2 support is --with-sdl2 and the configuration script is called sdl2-config. Note that the Bochs GUIs for SDL version 1.2.x and 2.x are mutually exclusive. The legacy SDL GUI support will be removed someday. When using the GUI library autodetection (--with-all-libs) the configure script probes for SDL version 2 first.

3.4.13. Compiling with the wxWidgets interface

wxWidgets is a cross-platform C++ user interface library which you can download for free at wxwidgets.org. The wxWidgets port of Bochs provides both a graphical configuration interface for editing bochsrc options (see config_interface option) and a display (see display_library option). It was written by Bryce Denney, Don Becker, Dave Poirier, and Volker Ruppert.

  configure --with-wx
  make

If you want Bochs to use a wxWidgets installation not in your path (but installed somewhere else), you need to set the WX_CONFIG environment variable to the proper wx-config script, before running configure (example for csh):

  setenv WX_CONFIG '/home/compile/wx/bin/wx-config'

3.4.14. Building an RPM on Linux

RPM stands for "RedHat Package Manager." An RPM is a compressed file containing files to be installed on your system. Bochs has a special shell script called make-rpm that helps to build an RPM of Bochs. Start with a clean source directory. Edit .conf.linux first if you want to adjust the configure options. Then, type:

  ./build/redhat/make-rpm | tee /tmp/build.txt

3.4.15. Compile Problems