JPH02201625A - Automatic hard disk deciding mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate the necessity to provide a dip switch, etc., and to prevent a trouble due to the setting miss of the dip switch, etc., by storing attribute information, which the hard disk device has, to a memory built in the hard disk device beforehand. CONSTITUTION:A hard disk controller (HDC) 8 controls a hard disk drive (HDD) 9. The HDD 9 stores a program, data, etc., and holds information such as the number of cylinders, the number of heads and the number of sectors of the hard disk itself to be necessary for controlling the hard disk. In a basic input/ output control system built in a ROM 2, a hard disk control program to control the HDD 9 reads the information before executing the control of the hard disk, and the control of the hard disk is executed according to it. Thus, the necessity to provide the dip switch, etc., is eliminated, and consequently, the trouble due to the setting miss can be prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention (Field of Industrial Application) This invention relates to an automatic determination mechanism for a hard disk installed in a personal computer.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, as an external storage device for a personal computer,
A floppy disk or hard disk is used. The capacity of hard disks tends to increase year by year, and the capacities of the hard disks installed in a single personal computer may vary, and the models are often divided into, for example, a 20 MB model and a 40 MB model.

However, since hard disks with different capacities naturally have different numbers of cylinders, sectors, heads, etc.
Programs to control hard disks are created separately for each capacity, or the capacity of the hard disk is obtained as some hardware information using a dip switch or the like, and hard disks of different capacities are controlled by the same program.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In the above conventional example, the former places a heavy burden on the software programmer, and the latter does not operate normally if the dip switch is incorrectly set, resulting in poor reliability. Another disadvantage is that if you do not have the space to implement a database, you must prepare a separate program.

This invention was made in view of the above-mentioned drawbacks, and provides a method for realizing node disks of different capacities with a single control program, regardless of the information of the hardware such as a date switch. - The purpose of the present invention is to provide an automatic disc determination mechanism.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) The automatic hard disk determination mechanism of the present invention is equipped with node disk devices having different attributes, and is controlled by the basic input/output control system (BiO2) built into the main body. (1) Store the attribute information of the hard disk device in the built-in memory of the hard disk device in advance, so that the BIOS reads that information when the system is initialized. According to this read information, the attributes of the connected disk drive are recognized, and control is performed according to the specifications.

(Function) As described above, the present invention allows the node disk to have information necessary to control the hard disk, such as the number of cylinders, the number of heads, and the number of sectors of the node disk itself. The program that controls the 71-F disk can read this information, and the program that controls the node disk reads this information before controlling the node disk and controls the hard disk accordingly. Make it.

As a result, there is no need to install a deep disk drive, etc., and troubles caused by setting errors are prevented. There is no need to change.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail using the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a CPU, which serves as the control center.

? ] No. 2 is a ROM, which stores a program (BiO9) for controlling input and output of the personal computer. The flowchart shown in FIG. 2 is stored in program format.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a RAM, which stores programs for controlling this personal computer and various other data.

Code 4 is DMA (Direct McMoryAcc
ESS) controller, which is a commercially available LSI that controls DMA. Code 5 is the interrupt controller I Lola (P I
C), which is a commercially available LSI that controls node-ware interrupts. Reference numeral 6 is a timer (PIT), which is a commercially available LSI that controls the timer. Reference numeral 7 denotes a real time clock (RTC), which is a commercially available LSI that stores time and other information.

Reference numeral 8 is a hard disk controller (IDC), which is a commercially available L controller that controls a hard disk drive (HDD).
It is SI. No. 71 No. 9 is a program with HDD,
This is an external storage device that stores data, etc. Reference numeral 10 is a floppy disk controller (FDC),
Floppy disk drive (FDD]-1,)
This is a commercially available LSI that controls the

Reference numeral 11 denotes an FDD, which, like the HDD 9, is an external storage device in which programs, data, etc. are stored.

2 is a printer controller (PRTC), which is a circuit that controls the printer. No. 71] 3 is a serial input/output circuit (SIO), which is a commercially available LSI that controls the detective.
It is. Reference numeral 14 is a keyboard controller i-roller (KB
C') and is a circuit that controls the keyboard (KB15). Reference numeral 15 is a keyboard which accepts key input by an operator or the like. Code] 6 is a display control circuit (PDP
C) is a circuit that controls the plasma display]9. The first number 17 is a VRAM, which is a memory in which the contents displayed on the plasma display 19 are stored. The first number 18 is a kanji ROM, and when displaying kanji, data is read from this kanji ROM 18 and displayed on the plasma display 19.

The operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

FIG. 2 shows only the hard disk control program for controlling the HDD extracted from the BIO5 (basic input/output control system) built into the ROM2.

First, when the power is turned on to the system, a program built in the ROM 2 is activated to check whether or not this personal system operates normally.

Thereafter, if a hard disk is installed, the program is executed according to the procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG. 2 in order to check the capacity of the hard disk. That is,
I DENT IF for HDC8 in step ■
A Y command is issued, and the hard disk is subsequently controlled based on the information read according to this command. H
When the DD9 receives this command, it sends its own attribute information to the HDC8. and the system (
The BIO8) has an interrupt from the HDC8, and when an interrupt occurs, step 2 is executed. Step ■ is HD
This is a step of reading information necessary for controlling C8. In step ■, the information read in step ■ is transferred to the HDDI
Process it as required by the program that controls it.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) Since there is no need to provide a dip switch or the like, the price can be reduced.

(2) Troubles caused by incorrect settings of dip switches, etc. can be prevented.

(3) Even if a hard disk with a new capacity is installed in the future, there will be no need to change the control program.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a personal computer on which the present invention is implemented, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment of the present invention. 1... CPU, 2... ROM, 8... Hard disk controller (HDC), 9... Hard disk (HDD). Figure 119

Claims (1)

[Claims] Hard disk devices with different attributes are installed, and the basic input/output control system (BIOS) built into the main unit is installed.
) in a personal computer controlled by
The attribute information of the hard disk device is stored in advance in the built-in memory of the hard disk device, and the BIOS reads that information when the system is initialized.
An automatic hard disk determination mechanism is characterized in that it recognizes the attributes of a connected hard disk device according to the read information and controls the hard disk device according to the specifications.