JPH0243615A - Method and device for initializing auxiliary storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain the execution of a program with a high use frequency by preparing a system application program file in addition to the initialization of a physical format and the initialization of a logical format for an auxiliary storage medium. CONSTITUTION:When an operator instructs the initialization of an auxiliary storage medium, a physical format initializing part 1 initializes a physical format to the auxiliary storage medium to be initialized and continuously, a logical format initializing part 2 initializes the logical format. Finally, a program file preparing part 3 prepares at least one system application program file. Thus, it is not necessary to copy the program file of the system application program beforehand to all auxiliary storage medium to execute the initializing processing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an auxiliary storage medium initialization method and apparatus for initializing an auxiliary storage medium used in an auxiliary storage device of a computer.

Conventional technology In recent years, with the advancement of information processing technology using computers,
Auxiliary storage devices that store electronic information in a form that can be processed by computers are widely used.

These auxiliary storage devices generally consist of an auxiliary storage medium that stores information and a drive device that writes and reads necessary information to and from the auxiliary storage medium. Examples of auxiliary storage media include magnetic recording media coated with a thin film of magnetic material such as iron oxide. Furthermore, there are two types of drive devices: those that move the auxiliary storage medium linearly and those that rotate the auxiliary storage medium, but the latter generally has better attachment/detachability and random access than the former. A currently widely used auxiliary storage device is a magnetic disk device that uses a magnetic recording medium as an auxiliary storage medium and rotates the auxiliary storage medium as a drive device.

Typical magnetic disk devices include floppy disk devices and hard disk devices.

These magnetic disk devices generally do not allow information to be written directly to raw auxiliary storage media. Therefore, a predetermined initialization process called formatting is required for the raw auxiliary storage medium.

The initialization process consists of the following two stages.

The first step is initialization of the physical format, which is a process in which the auxiliary storage medium is divided into concentric areas called tracks, and each track is divided into a plurality of fan-shaped areas called sectors.

The next step is initialization of the logical format, which is a process of writing initial values of management information for constructing a file system on the auxiliary storage medium.

By performing the above initialization processing, it becomes possible to store any file on the auxiliary storage medium.

Here, the arbitrary file is either a file of a program executable on a computer or a file of data input/output by a program executed on a computer.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a conventional auxiliary storage medium initialization device. In the figure, 11 is a physical format initialization unit that initializes the physical format of the auxiliary storage medium to be initialized. Reference numeral 12 denotes a logical format initialization section, which initializes the logical format of the auxiliary storage medium whose physical format has been initialized by the physical format initialization section 11. In reality, various other components constituting a normal auxiliary storage device are required, but they are not the main focus of the present invention and will therefore be omitted.

The operation of the conventional auxiliary storage medium initialization device configured as described above will be described below.

(1) The operator instructs the initialization of the auxiliary storage medium.

G2'l In response to the above operation, the physical format initialization unit 11 initializes the physical format of the auxiliary storage medium to be initialized.

(3) Subsequently, the logical format initialization unit 12 initializes the logical format (wait for it).

On the other hand, in information systems using computers, several programs for realizing basic functions are usually prepared in advance as system standards.

Generally, relatively simple programs among these programs are put together and resided in main memory so that they can be used at any time. For example, U
5HELL program in NIX system, MS-
This corresponds to the COMMAND and 00M programs in the DOS system, which provide basic functions such as copying and deleting files. Program files for these system-resident programs are usually created only on auxiliary storage media that are specifically initialized for system startup.

On the other hand, even relatively complex programs for realizing basic functions are stored in an auxiliary storage medium as independent program files, and are read out as needed. For example, editor programs, communication programs, etc. are usually independent program files. Such program files are called system application program files.

By storing relatively complex programs that implement basic functions in an auxiliary storage medium as system application program files and reading them out as needed, programs that reside in main memory can be Capacity can be reduced and memory efficiency can be improved. However, on the other hand, if the auxiliary storage medium storing the relevant system application program file is not installed, even the basic functions of the system cannot be used.

In such a case, the operator must install each auxiliary storage medium storing the program files of the system applications to be executed.

Particularly for system application programs that are frequently used, such as editor programs, it is troublesome to remove and install the auxiliary storage medium that stores the program files each time the program is executed. It is widely practiced to copy the program file to an auxiliary storage medium in advance.

Problem to be Solved by the Invention As explained in the above-mentioned specific example, in the conventional method and device for initializing an auxiliary storage medium, the initialization of the auxiliary storage medium is not possible unless the case is specifically initialized for system startup. Since only initialization of the physical format and initialization of the logical format are performed as initialization processing, the content of the auxiliary storage medium that has just been initialized is empty.

Further, even in the case of special initialization for system startup, the program file of the system resident program is simply created following the above processing. Therefore, in order to avoid the trouble of attaching and detaching the auxiliary storage medium when executing frequently used system application programs, the operator can perform initialization processing on any auxiliary storage medium and then subsequently file the system program file. I had to make a copy.

In view of the above-mentioned problems that the conventional auxiliary storage medium initialization method and device had, the present invention provides at least one method for initializing the auxiliary storage medium, in addition to initializing its physical format and logical format. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for initializing an auxiliary storage medium that can create one system application program file.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a physical format initialization section that initializes the physical format of an auxiliary storage medium to be initialized, and a physical format initialization section that uses the physical format initialization section. a logical format initialization unit that initializes the logical format of the auxiliary storage medium whose physical format has been initialized; and a logical format initialization unit that initializes the logical format of the auxiliary storage medium whose physical format has been initialized by the logical format initialization unit. and a program file creation unit that creates at least one system application program file.

Operation The auxiliary storage medium initialization device of the present invention has the above-described configuration, so that when the operator instructs to initialize the auxiliary storage medium, the physical format initialization unit initializes the physical format of the auxiliary storage medium to be initialized, Subsequently, the logical format initialization section initializes the logical format, and finally the program file creation section enables creation of at least one system application program file.

Embodiment Hereinafter, one embodiment of the auxiliary storage medium initialization device of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an auxiliary storage medium initialization device in an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a physical format initialization unit that initializes the physical format of the auxiliary storage medium to be initialized. In the physical format initialization process, the auxiliary storage medium is divided into concentric areas called tracks, and each track is divided into a plurality of fan-shaped areas called sectors. Reference numeral 2 denotes a logical format initialization unit, which initializes the logical format of the auxiliary storage medium whose physical format has been initialized by the physical format initialization unit 1. In the logical format initialization process, initial values of management information for constructing a file system on the auxiliary storage medium are written. Reference numeral 3 denotes a program file creating section which creates at least one system application 7 run program file on the auxiliary storage medium whose logical format has been initialized by the logical format initializing section 2. The system application program files to be created may be files that are used relatively frequently, such as editor programs and communication programs. The program file creation unit of this embodiment stores information for identifying system application programs to be created, such as program names, in advance in the form of a table. It sequentially searches the installed auxiliary storage medium to see if the program file exists, and if it exists, copies the program file sequentially onto the auxiliary storage medium to be initialized. think. In reality, various other components constituting a normal auxiliary storage device are required, but they are not the main focus of the present invention and will therefore be omitted.

The operation of the auxiliary storage medium initialization device of this embodiment configured as described above will be described below.

(1) The operator instructs the initialization of the auxiliary storage medium.

(2) In response to the above operation, the physical format initialization unit 1 initializes the physical format of the auxiliary storage medium to be initialized.

(3) Subsequently, the logical format initialization unit 2 initializes the logical format.

(4) Finally, the program file creation unit 3 refers to the internally held table and checks the auxiliary storage that has already been installed other than the auxiliary storage medium to be initialized for each registered system application program. The medium is sequentially searched to see if the program file exists, and if it exists, the program file is copied onto the auxiliary storage medium to be initialized (End).

As mentioned above, since any auxiliary storage medium initialized by the auxiliary storage medium initialization device of this embodiment stores the program file of the system application program specified in advance, the operator can Even when only the auxiliary storage medium is installed, frequently used programs such as the system application program, such as an editor program, can be executed, and the operator can attach or remove the auxiliary storage medium during execution. It becomes unnecessary to copy the program file of the system application program in advance to all auxiliary storage media that have undergone initialization processing.

Note that in this embodiment, the physical format of the auxiliary storage medium to be initialized is always initialized, but this step is not performed for the auxiliary storage medium whose physical format has already been initialized. It can be omitted. In addition, in this embodiment, information for identifying the system application program to be created is held in advance, and the program file is initialized from an already installed auxiliary storage medium other than the auxiliary storage medium to be initialized. Although the system application programs to be created are copied sequentially onto the auxiliary storage medium to be initialized, it is possible to make individual copies by allowing the operator to specify any program at the time of initialization. It is also possible to initialize the auxiliary storage medium that is most suitable for the operator. moreover,
It is also easy to add an initialization function as an auxiliary storage medium for system startup to the auxiliary storage medium initialization device of this embodiment by combining with the technology used in conventional auxiliary storage medium initialization devices. Needless to say.

Effects of the Invention In the auxiliary storage medium initialization method and device of the present invention, in addition to initializing the physical format and logical format of the auxiliary storage medium, at least one system application program file is created. Therefore, the system application program can be executed even when only the auxiliary storage medium that has just been initialized is attached to the system, so the practical effect is great.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an auxiliary storage medium initialization device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a conventional auxiliary storage medium initialization device. 1...Physical format initialization section, 2...
...Logical Fort Initialization Unit, 3...Program File Creation Unit.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) a physical format initialization step of initializing the physical format of the auxiliary storage medium to be initialized;
a logical format initialization step for initializing the logical format of the auxiliary storage medium whose physical format has been initialized in the physical format initialization step; and a logical format initialization step in which the logical format is initialized in the logical format initialization step. A method for initializing an auxiliary storage medium, the method comprising: creating a program file on the auxiliary storage medium in which at least one system application program file is created. (2) A physical format initialization unit that initializes the physical format of the auxiliary storage medium to be initialized, and a logical format for the auxiliary storage medium whose physical format has been initialized by the physical format initialization unit. a logical format initialization unit that initializes the logical format; and a program file creation unit that creates at least one system application program file on the auxiliary storage medium whose logical format has been initialized by the logical format initialization unit. An auxiliary storage medium initialization device comprising: