dSdt

DSDT stands for Differentiated System Description Table. It is the primary ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) table provided by a computer’s firmware to describe the platform’s hardware and power management features to the operating system. The DSDT contains ACPI Machine Language (AML) code that defines devices, resources, and control methods within the ACPI namespace. It establishes the root of the ACPI namespace and may reference additional tables known as SSDTs (Secondary System Description Tables).

Firmware typically includes a DSDT as part of the ACPI table set. The operating system loads ACPI tables at boot and uses the DSDT, along with other tables, to discover devices, configure power management, monitor thermal sensors, and handle system events. The DSDT can implement various ACPI methods, including device identification (_HID, _UID), resource descriptions (_CRS), and power-management-related routines such as sleep states (_Sx) and processor performance states (_PSS, _PTS).

Because ACPI behavior can affect hardware compatibility, some users patch or override the DSDT or add SSDTs to fix issues on particular machines. In Linux, Windows, and other OSes, the ACPI subsystem interprets AML from the DSDT to manage power transitions, device control, and event handling.

Notes: The DSDT is not a standalone executable; it is part of the set of ACPI tables provided by firmware. It can be overridden or augmented in certain environments to address hardware quirks or enable specific functionality, though such modifications are advanced and can affect system stability.