Abstract: A method and system for simulating auto-init DMA transfers to peripheral devices that do not support system DMA. To simulate auto-init mode DMA, a device driver monitors and responds to activity on the DMA channel when the application program specifies auto-init mode DMA. Data in a buffer is transferred to the peripheral device in small amounts called bursts. Several bursts comprise a block, and the end of each block must coincide with the end of a burst. When a burst is transferred from the buffer to the peripheral device, the peripheral device generates a physical interrupt. The device driver intercepts the physical interrupt and sends a virtual interrupt to the application program only when the physical interrupt is received for a burst that ends at the end of a block. In this manner, the application program is informed that it can again write data into the buffer for subsequent transfer to the peripheral device.