diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 9cf7426..3d8e21a 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -4,18 +4,21 @@ mod common;
 //mod syn;
 mod vm;
 
-use std::{
-    convert::TryFrom,
-    io::{self, Read},
-    process,
-};
+use std::{convert::TryFrom, env, fs, io, process};
 
 type Result<T> = std::result::Result<T, Box<dyn std::error::Error>>;
 
 fn get_input_string() -> io::Result<String> {
-    let mut buffer = String::new();
-    io::stdin().read_to_string(&mut buffer)?;
-    Ok(buffer)
+    let args: Vec<String> = env::args().collect();
+    if args.len() <= 1 {
+        println!(
+            "usage: {} file.asm",
+            args.get(0).map(String::as_str).unwrap_or("rasp")
+        );
+        process::exit(1);
+    } else {
+        fs::read_to_string(&args[1])
+    }
 }
 
 fn main() -> Result<()> {
@@ -29,6 +32,10 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
         }
     };
     let obj = vm::obj::obj::Object::try_from(&ast)?;
-    println!("{:#?}", obj);
+    //println!("{:#?}", obj);
+    let mut vm = vm::vm::Vm::new();
+    vm.load_object(obj, 1024 * 1024 * 64)?; // 64mb
+    let status = vm.run()?;
+    println!("status: {}", status);
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/src/vm/inst.rs b/src/vm/inst.rs
index b91cc2b..9c2a33e 100644
--- a/src/vm/inst.rs
+++ b/src/vm/inst.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,15 @@ macro_rules! instructions {
         $(
             pub const $variant: InstOp = $value;
         )*
+
+        pub fn inst_name(op: InstOp) -> Option<&'static str> {
+            match op {
+                $(
+                    $value => Some(stringify!($variant)),
+                )*
+                _ => None,
+            }
+        }
     };
 }
 pub type InstOp = u16;
diff --git a/src/vm/tick.rs b/src/vm/tick.rs
index 4a2dd0b..5d00d08 100644
--- a/src/vm/tick.rs
+++ b/src/vm/tick.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 use crate::vm::{error::*, flags::Flags, inst::*, reg::*, vm::*};
+use std::io::stdin;
 
 impl Vm {
     pub fn tick(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
@@ -120,6 +121,12 @@ impl Vm {
             _ => panic!("unknown instruction opcode: 0x{:04x}", op),
         }
 
+        println!("op: {:04x} {}", op, inst_name(op).unwrap());
+        println!("ip: {:05x}", self.ip());
+        println!("next_ip: {:05x}", next_ip);
+        let mut _line = String::new();
+        stdin().read_line(&mut _line).unwrap();
+    
         self.set_reg(IP, next_ip);
 
         Ok(())
diff --git a/src/vm/vm.rs b/src/vm/vm.rs
index 53ab09b..e2e28b7 100644
--- a/src/vm/vm.rs
+++ b/src/vm/vm.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use crate::vm::{error::*, flags::*, mem::*, reg::*};
+use crate::vm::{error::*, flags::*, mem::*, obj::obj::*, reg::*};
 use byteorder::{WriteBytesExt, LE};
 use std::{io::Cursor, mem};
 
@@ -13,12 +13,67 @@ pub struct Vm {
 }
 
 impl Vm {
-    pub fn new(mem: Vec<u8>, registers: Registers) -> Self {
-        Vm { mem, registers }
+    pub fn new() -> Self {
+        Vm {
+            mem: Default::default(),
+            registers: [0; 64],
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Loads an object into this VM, clearing out all previous memory and resetting the registers.
+    pub fn load_object(&mut self, object: Object, max_mem: usize) -> Result<()> {
+        self.registers = [0; 64];
+        // determine memory spread
+        let mem_size = object
+            .sections
+            .iter()
+            .filter_map(|s| match s {
+                Section::Data { end, .. } | Section::Code { end, .. } => Some(*end),
+                Section::Meta { .. } => None,
+            })
+            .max()
+            .unwrap_or(0);
+        if mem_size > (max_mem as u64) {
+            todo!("raise max memory error");
+        }
+        self.mem = vec![0; mem_size as usize];
+
+        let mut entry = 0;
+        // write sections to memory
+        for section in object.sections.into_iter() {
+            match section {
+                Section::Data {
+                    start,
+                    contents,
+                    ..
+                }
+                | Section::Code {
+                    start,
+                    contents,
+                    ..
+                } => {
+                    let start = start as usize;
+                    for (value, dest) in contents.into_iter().zip(&mut self.mem[start..])
+                    {
+                        *dest = value;
+                    }
+                }
+                Section::Meta { entries } => {
+                    if let Some(e) = entries.get("entry") {
+                        // set the entry point
+                        entry = *e;
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        self.set_reg(IP, entry);
+        Ok(())
     }
 
     pub fn mem_cursor(&self, at: usize) -> MemCursor {
-        MemCursor::new(&self.mem[at..])
+        let mut cursor = MemCursor::new(&self.mem);
+        cursor.set_position(at as u64);
+        cursor
     }
 
     pub fn run(&mut self) -> Result<u64> {
diff --git a/test.asm b/test.asm
index 31a40c8..87b1d44 100644
--- a/test.asm
+++ b/test.asm
@@ -13,9 +13,9 @@ code $0x0 {
 
         storeimm %r01, $0xDEADBEEF
 
+        cmpeq %r00, %r01
         storeimm %r00, failure
         storeimm %r01, ok
-        cmpeq %r00, %r01
 
         jz %r00
 
@@ -23,9 +23,8 @@ code $0x0 {
 
     failure:
         storeimm %status, $1
-        halt
 
-    ok:
+    ok: halt
 
     .export main
 }