- The arithmetic-logic unit is a fundamental part of any computer, performing addition, subtraction, and logic operations, but how it works is a mystery to many people. I’ve reverse-engineered the ALU circuit from the 8085 microprocessor and explain how it works. The 8085’s ALU is a surprisingly complex circuit that at first looks like a mysterious jumble of gates, but it can be understood if you don’t mind diving into some Boolean logic.
- Inside the ALU of the armv1 - the first ARM microprocessor (daveshacks.blogspot.com)
With that in mind I embarked on my own attempt to reverse-engineer parts of the armv1. Some background knowledge of the processor’s architecture is helpful, and googling for “ARM Architecture Reference Manual” will lead you to very detailed descriptions of the more modern versions of the processor. By just looking at the masks and knowing a little about the processor’s architecture it’s possible to make some good guesses at what some of the blocks are.