diff --git a/kernel/arch/idt/idt.c b/kernel/arch/idt/idt.c
index 5937505..e85edb3 100644
--- a/kernel/arch/idt/idt.c
+++ b/kernel/arch/idt/idt.c
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #endif
 #include <kernel/x86/idt.h>
 #include <kernel/x86/pic.h>
+#include <kernel/x86/io.h>
 
 __attribute__((aligned(0x10)))
 static idt_entry_t idt[256];
@@ -58,8 +59,8 @@ void idt_init(void)
 	__asm__ volatile("lidt %0" : : "m"(idtr)); // load the new IDT
 						  
 	PIC_remap(0x20, 0x28);
-	//IRQ_set_mask(0xfd); // unmask IRQ1
-	pic_disable(); //TODO: this is ending a timer interrupt even though its masked off..
+	pic_disable(); // mask everything
+	IRQ_clear_mask(1);
 
 	__asm__ volatile("sti"); // set the interrupt flag
 #ifdef __TESTING__
diff --git a/kernel/arch/pic/pic.c b/kernel/arch/pic/pic.c
index ef093ed..330187d 100644
--- a/kernel/arch/pic/pic.c
+++ b/kernel/arch/pic/pic.c
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #ifdef __TESTING__
 #include <kernel/_kernel.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
 #endif
 #include <kernel/x86/io.h>
 #include <kernel/x86/pic.h>
@@ -70,6 +71,8 @@ void IRQ_set_mask(uint8_t IRQline) // Masked IRQlines are ignored by the PIC, ma
 		port = PIC2_DATA;
 		IRQline -= 8;
 	}
+	
+	printf("%x %x\n", port, IRQline);
 
 	value = inb(port) | (1 << IRQline);
 	outb(port, value);
diff --git a/kernel/kmain.c b/kernel/kmain.c
index 4dbf89a..84586d6 100644
--- a/kernel/kmain.c
+++ b/kernel/kmain.c
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ void kmain(void)
 
 /**
  * The computer is now hanging on INTERRUPT 32,
- * this is good because that means the PIC is working, its the timer interrupt
+ * this is good because that means the PIC is working, its the timer interrupt, except... the PIT is masked off...
  * we need to now implement the ISR routines in exception_handler,
  * first i want to implement all of the code for the basic exceptions..
  * then i want to setup the PIC triggers
@@ -33,4 +33,12 @@ void kmain(void)
  * now for keyboard stuff, i believe i need to start looking into setting up a ps/2 driver before the interrupts will even start arriving..
  *
  */
+
+	printf("Entering loop...\n");
+	while (1) {
+		
+		continue;
+	}
+	printf("Exiting loop...\n");
+
 }