diff --git a/bootdef.inc b/bootdef.inc
index 163e18b..c27e404 100644
--- a/bootdef.inc
+++ b/bootdef.inc
@@ -1,9 +1,17 @@
 
-%define BOOT_FAT_SEG 0x07E0			;right after boot sector
-%define BOOT_ROOT_SEG 0x0900			;right after FAT
-%define BOOT_STAGE2_SEG 0x0B00			;right after KERNEL_SEG
-%define BOOT_STAGE2_ADD 0xB000			;address of stage2 to jump to, org at
-%define BOOT_KERNEL_SEG 0x0AC0			;right after ROOT_DIR
-%define BOOT_KERNEL_ADD 0x100000		;final pmode kernel destination - physical
+%define VERSION		"0.1.2"			;HOS version
+
+%define BOOT_FAT_SEG	0x07E0			;right after boot sector
+%define BOOT_ROOT_SEG	0x0900			;right after FAT
+%define BOOT_KERNEL_SEG	0x0AC0			;right after ROOT_DIR
+%define BOOT_STAGE2_SEG	0x0B00			;right after KERNEL_SEG
+%define BOOT_STAGE2_ADD	0xB000			;address of stage2 to jump to, org at
+%define BOOT_KERNEL_ADD	0x100000		;final pmode kernel destination - physical
+
+%define BOOT_DATA_SEG	0x9000			;data gathered by stage2 loader goes here
+
+%define BOOT_HASRD	0x0000		;1
 
 
+%define BOOT_RD_ADD	0x200000		;2mb for ram disk
+%define BOOT_DRIVE	0x7C24		;1 - boot drive
diff --git a/kernel.asm b/kernel.asm
index 633befb..7c230c7 100644
--- a/kernel.asm
+++ b/kernel.asm
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 
+%include "bootdef.inc"
+
 bits 32
 
-org	0x100000
+org	BOOT_KERNEL_ADD
+
+	call	cls
 
 	mov	esi, msg
 	mov	edi, 0xb8000
@@ -19,6 +23,24 @@ msg_done:
 
 	jmp	$
 
+cls:
+	push	eax
+	push	ecx
+	push	edi
+
+	mov	edi, 0xb8000
+	mov	ecx, 2000
+	mov	eax, 0x0700
+cls_loop:
+	stosw
+	loop	cls_loop
+
+	pop	edi
+	pop	ecx
+	pop	eax
+
+	ret
+
 msg:
 	db	"This kernel is located at 0x100000! Aren't you glad?", 0
 
diff --git a/stage1.asm b/stage1.asm
index 264c450..2df5de7 100644
--- a/stage1.asm
+++ b/stage1.asm
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ brFSID          DB      'FAT12   '      ; 0036h - File System ID
 ;------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 start:
+	jmp	0:jmphere		;ensure that cs=0 and ip=0x7c...
+jmphere:
 	;dl=drive number, save it!
 	xor	ax, ax
 	mov	ds, ax
@@ -133,6 +135,8 @@ error:
 	jmp	$			;halt! no kernel file found!
 
 found_file:				;ds:si points to root dir entry
+	xor	ax, ax
+	mov	gs, ax
 	mov	ax, BOOT_STAGE2_SEG
 	mov	es, ax
 
@@ -148,7 +152,7 @@ readstage2_loop:
 	push	ax
 	call	getCHSfromCluster
 	mov	ax, 0x0201
-	mov	dl, 0			;[brDrive]
+	mov	dl, [gs:BOOT_DRIVE]
 	xor	bx, bx
 	int	0x13
 	mov	bx, es
diff --git a/stage2.asm b/stage2.asm
index 0b34bd2..c6539f2 100644
--- a/stage2.asm
+++ b/stage2.asm
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ error:
 	jmp	$			;halt! no kernel file found!
 
 found_file:				;ds:si points to root dir entry of kernel file
+	xor	ax, ax
+	mov	gs, ax
 	mov	ax, [ds:si+26]
 	mov	bx, BOOT_FAT_SEG
 	mov	ds, bx			;ds points to beginning of FAT
@@ -44,7 +46,7 @@ readkernel_loop:
 	push	ax
 	call	getCHSfromCluster
 	mov	ax, 0x0201
-	mov	dl, 0			;[brDrive]
+	mov	dl, [gs:BOOT_DRIVE]
 	mov	bx, BOOT_KERNEL_SEG
 	mov	es, bx
 	xor	bx, bx
@@ -81,10 +83,146 @@ odd_cluster:
 got_cluster:
 	jmp	readkernel_loop
 
-readkernel_done:
+;------------------------------------------------------
+readkernel_done:			;-------------put more real mode init stuff here!
+					;----ask to load RD from floppy
+	mov	ax, 0xb800
+	mov	es, ax
+	xor	ax, ax
+	mov	ds, ax
+	xor	di, di
+	mov	cx, 2000
+	mov	ax, 0x0700
+cls_loop:
+	stosw
+	loop	cls_loop
+
+	mov	dx, 0x3d4		;move cursor off screen...
+	mov	al, 0x0e
+	out	dx, al
+	inc	dx
+	mov	al, 0xff
+	out	dx, al
+	dec	dx
+	mov	al, 0x0f
+	out	dx, al
+	inc	dx
+	out	dx, al
+
+	xor	di, di
+	mov	si, txt_welcome
+	mov	ah, 0x1f
+	call	puts
+
+	mov	di, 160
+	mov	si, txt_rd1
+	mov	ah, 7
+	call	puts
+
+	mov	si, txt_rd2
+	mov	di, 160*2
+	call	puts
+
+	mov	di, 160*3
+	mov	si, txt_input
+	call	puts
+
+get_rd:
+	xor	ax, ax
+	int	0x16
+	cmp	al, '1'
+	jz	got_rd
+	cmp	al, '2'
+	jnz	get_rd
+got_rd:	
+	stosb
+	sub	al, '1'
+	push	ds
+	mov	bx, BOOT_DATA_SEG		;segment for data to send kernel
+	mov	ds, bx
+	mov	[ds:BOOT_HASRD], al
+	pop	ds				;ds=0
+	cmp	al, 0				;dont load rd
+	jz	no_rd
+
+	mov	cx, 80
+	mov	edi, 0xb8000+160*4
+filler_loop:
+	mov	word [ds:edi], 0x0400+176
+	inc	edi
+	inc	edi
+	loop	filler_loop
+	mov	cx, 80				;80 cylinders to read
+	xor	si, si
+	mov	edi, BOOT_RD_ADD		;ram disk address
+read_cylinder:
+	push	cx
+	mov	bx, 0x0100
+	mov	es, bx
+	xor	bx, bx
+	mov	ax, 0x0224
+	mov	cx, si
+	mov	ch, cl
+	mov	cl, 1
+	xor	dx, dx
+	mov	dl, [gs:BOOT_DRIVE]
+	int	0x13
+
+	mov	ebx, 0xb8000
+	add	bx, si
+	shl	bl, 1
+	mov	word [ds:ebx+160*4], 0x0200+219
+
+	push	si
+	mov	esi, 0x1000
+	mov	cx, 0x2400
+copydisk_loop:
+	mov	ax, [ds:esi]
+	inc	esi
+	inc	esi
+	mov	[ds:edi], ax
+	inc	edi
+	inc	edi
+	loop	copydisk_loop
+
+	pop	si				;what cylinder# we are on...
+	inc	si
+	pop	cx
+	loop	read_cylinder
+
+no_rd:
+	xor	ax, ax
+	mov	ds, ax
+	mov	ax, 0xb800
+	mov	es, ax
+	mov	si, txt_vesa
+	mov	di, 160*5
+	mov	ah, 7
+	call	puts
+
+
+	xor	ax, ax
+	int	0x16
 
 	jmp	go_pm
 
+puts:
+	lodsb
+	or	al, al
+	jz	puts_done
+	stosb
+	mov	al, ah
+	stosb
+	jmp	puts
+puts_done:
+	ret
+
+txt_welcome: db	"                             Welcome to HOS v", VERSION, "!                             ", 0
+txt_rd1: db	"1. Do not load an initial ram disk", 0
+txt_rd2: db	"2. Load initial ram disk from floppy", 0
+txt_input: db	"Enter your selection: ", 0
+txt_vesa: db	"VESA version: ", 0
+
 ;------------------------------------------------------
 getCHSfromCluster:
 	;input: ax=lba of sector on floppy (0-2879)
@@ -148,12 +286,10 @@ pmode:
 	mov	ax, KERNEL_DATA
 	mov	es, ax
 	mov	ds, ax
+	mov	fs, ax
+	mov	gs, ax
 	jmp	KERNEL_CODE:BOOT_KERNEL_ADD
 
 kernel:	db	"KERNEL  BIN"
-k_count: dw	0
 
-times 510-($-$$)	db 0
-
-db	0x55, 0xaa