CN1744042A - Method for realizing automatic change of computer start sequence - Google Patents

Abstract

Through automatic changing starting up device of computer to change starting up sequence, the invention discloses effective technical means for implementing installation of operating system and other application software through network. Through saving/restoring mirror of CMOS changes starting up sequence of computer automatically. Advantages are: simple and universal method, no special requirement for BIOS, automatic configuring program in procedure of starting up devices based on one-off manual initialization operation. Based on choice in manual operation, BIOS changes bytes of starting up control of CMOS. The invention reduces fee for maintaining software, makes computer easy to use. Though the disclosed technique, it is hopeful that unattended installing operating system and application software is possibly to be realized.

Description

Automatically change the implementation method of computer start sequence

Technical field

The present invention relates to a kind of implementation method of automatic change computer start sequence, belong to the technical field of the initial control or the configuration control of universal digital computer.

Background technology

At present, the software field engineering has obtained using very widely, solved very loaded down with trivial details operating system installation process to a great extent as network installation operating system, typical application has remote installation service (RIS) technology of Microsoft: at first at server end destination OS is set, the user just can install the local operation system with customized information by interactive operation in installation process again.Except operating system, the installation of other application software also can be undertaken by network, and the appearance of these technology has improved the ease for use of computing machine widely.But in these existing installation processes, a problem that is difficult to overcome is to need user's artificial participation with mutual.

With network installation operating system is example, its operating process is so often: installation system offers floppy disk of user, the user utilizes this floppy disk to start and connects server, and the user some problems of system are made reply after, installation procedure is just downloaded necessary installation procedure from the webserver, tells the user floppy disk need be pulled out then.Then, system starts again, and gives the webserver or local hard drive with start-up control power.If system is fixing start-up routine, must finish the operation of once manually extracting floppy disk, can not realize operatorless full-automatic installation.If real the realization automatically installed, must be before needs be changed starting outfit, start-up control priority with the basic input-output system BIOS (Basic Inputoutput system) of routine change computing machine, unfortunately BIOS controls the mode criteria of right and wrong of starting outfit priority, the manufacturing plant commercial city of each BIOS and mainboard is the unique control mode that adopts oneself, does not also have general business software to realize the application of aspect such as unattended network system installation.Just because of the existence of these problems, limited the realization of many full automatic software installation process.

The people of familiar with computers knows, can be at the manual boot sequence that changes in being provided with of basic input-output system BIOS.BIOS with the development of Award company is an example, during start, enter BIOS by del key the interface is set, the user is modified as First Boot Device the starting outfit of desired setting in " Advance feature SETUP " option, after restarting, BIOS just gives control the starting outfit of this new settings.Therefore, if want to realize the robotization of computer starting process, must change starting outfit automatically by program run.

In order to realize this purpose, introduce the principle of BIOS control boot sequence here earlier.For BIOS after shutdown still knows the starting outfit that start shooting next time, must allow this information be kept in the nonvolatile memory, for PC, the bytes store of BIOS control boot sequence is in CMOS RAM.This CMOS RAM storer is arranged in the board chip set, relies on powered battery; After shutdown, wherein canned data can not lost.BIOS checks which starting outfit the numerical value of this byte specifies when starting, and after self check finishes, from this equipment pilot operationp system.In principle, if, can reach the function that changes boot sequence equally with the control byte of boot sequence among the routine change CMOSRAM.But in existing Computer Design because each mainboard producer is inequality to the definition of control byte, can't be directly function by the general change boot sequence of program realization.This is because the reason of three aspects is arranged::

1, control byte storage addresses difference in CMOS RAM: though Award BIOS has original definition to each byte of CMOSRAM, but each mainboard producer is after obtaining its source code, tend to adjust according to the actual needs of oneself, the ununified standard of each producer, even the mainboard CMOS RAM of the different model of same manufacturer production definition is all not necessarily identical.In addition, except the BIOS of Award company exploitation, also have the BIOS of other producer's developments, the definition between them has nothing in common with each other especially.

2, the starting outfit difference of control byte definition: because the technical characterstic and the function of each mainboard are inequality, the starting outfit that they are supported is also inequality; In addition, the development of external unit is maked rapid progress, and the technical merit of each mainboard producer has nothing in common with each other, and adopting of new starting outfit and tenability are also had nothing in common with each other, and therefore each producer also is inequality on byte content-defined starting.

3, CMOS RAM error control system difference: because the content among the CMOS RAM is extremely important for BIOS; in order to prevent unexpected change; BIOS to CMOS RAM content carry out verification and algorithm protection, promptly to some the byte calculation check among the CMOS and, and be kept among the CMOS RAM.The calculation check of each mainboard producer regulation and the CMOS ram region have nothing in common with each other the research staff of BIOS only, otherwise other producers can't directly change certain byte among the CMOS RAM with program at all.

Summary of the invention

The implementation method that the purpose of this invention is to provide a kind of automatic change computer start sequence can realize changing automatically the starting outfit of computing machine, thereby provides a kind of effective technical means for the network installation that realizes operating system and other application software.

The object of the present invention is achieved like this: a kind of implementation method of automatic change computer start sequence is characterized in that: comprise the following steps:

(A) BIOS is set to target start equipment, adopts manual mode to set up the CMOS RAM content of needed each starting outfit respectively;

(B) use the read_cmos program that obtains the CMOS mirror image full content in each CMOS RAM that sets up in the step (A) to be saved as the image file of each starting outfit respectively;

(C) according to the needs of boot sequence, the write cmos program that adopts restoring CMOS mirror returns to the image file of the starting outfit chosen among the CMOS RAM, can realize changing automatically the boot sequence of computing machine.

The performing step that obtains the program read_cmos of CMOS image file in the described step (B) is:

(B1) read among the CMOS skew 10 bytes all register value in 128 bytes by CMOS RAM standard access port 70H and 71H, and be written to core buffer;

(B2) the core buffer content is write in the CMOS RAM image file of starting outfit of appointment.

The performing step of the program write_cmos of restoring CMOS RAM mirror image is in the described step (C):

(C1) the CMOS RAM image file of the starting outfit of appointment is read in the core buffer;

(C2) CMOS RAM access port 70H and the 71H by standard is written among the CMOS skew 10 bytes to the interval of 128 bytes with the content of core buffer.

The present invention is a kind of implementation method of automatic change computer start sequence, also is technical measures that exist shortcoming to remedy at design aspect to existing computer system.The enforcement of this method, feasible operation such as installing operating system and application software is expected to realize complete unmanned participation, this will be to reducing the computer software maintenance cost, improve the ease for use of computing machine, reduction all brings a series of benefit to computing machine operation and maintenance personnel's technical requirement, and produces appreciable economic benefit thus.Can look forward to, method of the present invention will become the technical standard that industry is followed in case acquisition is extensively adopted; If, combine with other technologies again with its designing technique as a computer system, can be so that such as the automatically switching operation system, installation of unmanned software and computer mode etc. were difficult to realize in the past the application of robotization, all might realize breaking through.In a word, the present invention realizes that by formulating unified BIOS specification function is unified on the product level of computing machine, makes this computer product have the convenient characteristic of using, can improve the competitive power of computer product, and might bring bigger useful variation computer application.

Description of drawings

What Fig. 1 was the present invention at boot sequence control CMOS address ram is provided with the regulation synoptic diagram.

Fig. 2 is a kind of program flow diagram of realizing changing automatically computer start sequence of the present invention.

Embodiment

The present invention is the implementation method that a kind of starting outfit by automatic change computing machine changes its boot sequence, thereby provides a kind of effective technical means for the network installation that realizes operating system and other application software.The invention provides three kinds of different implementation methods, describe it below respectively in conjunction with specific embodiments in detail.

First method of the present invention is at the regulation difference owing to mainboard producer, cause directly to use the present situation of routine change CMOS RAM start-up control byte, the unified byte that is provided with or stipulates control boot sequence among the CMOS RAM is to realize changing automatically computer start sequence.The content that wherein unified regulation control starts byte includes: control boot sequence bytes of memory address, device numbering, verification and computer capacity and verification and storage address.Figure 1 shows that an embodiment of this first method.Its operation steps is:

(1) control boot sequence bytes of memory address being set among the CMOS RAM is 66H.67H, and each starting outfit is numbered;

Device name	Numbering (scale-of-two)	Device name	Numbering (scale-of-two)
				Floppy drive	0000	LS120 equipment	0001
Hard disk 0 equipment	0010	Scsi device	0011
				CDROM equipment	0100	Hard disk 1 equipment	0101
Hard disk 2 equipment	0110	Hard disk 3 equipment	0111
				ZIP100 equipment	1000	The USB floppy drive	1001
USB-ZIP equipment	1010	USB-CDROM equipment	1011
				The USB-hard disc apparatus	1100	Network card equipment	1101

(2) device numbering that write sequence starts among each byte 66H of the control boot sequence in CMOS RAM and the 67H;

(3) be provided with to the data of storing among control boot sequence byte 66H and the 67H not calculation check and.

Referring to Fig. 1, be that first and second starting outfits are example to set floppy drive and network interface card, the step of utilizing this method to realize changing boot sequence is described:

1, takes out the numerical value of original 66H, 67H byte among the CMOS RAM, and preserve it;

2, (Bit0～bit3) be made as floppy drive promptly writes 0000B with the first starting outfit position in the 66H byte;

3, (Bit4～bit7) be made as network interface card promptly writes 1101B with the second starting outfit position in the 66H byte;

4, the value with original 67H byte writes back 67H, perhaps inoperation 67H;

5, restart computing machine with program.

When using this method, it should be noted that: the routine access method for standard CMOS RAM data field has two kinds: (1) sets the CMOS RAM offset address that needs visit at Computer I/O address 70H mouth.(2), the CMOS RAM of appointment is carried out read and write access by I/O address 71H mouth.In addition, control byte address, device numbering and the verification of above-mentioned illustrational definition and control forms all be for convenience of description, also control byte can be arranged to other addresses, relevant devices numbering, and verification and position and regional isoparametric setting, also be like this.Their data difference does not hinder the applicability of this method.

Second method of the present invention changes computer start sequence automatically by preservation/restoring CMOS mirror.For example, switch between floppy disk startup and hard disk startup if want.Need be set to target start equipment by manual mode BIOS in advance, floppy disk is set to first starting outfit.After setting is finished, restart computing machine, read the full content of CMOSRAM with the read_cmos program of obtaining the CMOS mirror image, and save as image file: floppy.dat.Then, by hand hard disk being set in BIOS is provided with is first starting outfit, saves as image file: hdd.dat equally.If need floppy disk to start when installing, then the image file floppy.dat of floppy disk startup is returned among the CMOS RAM and go with the write_cmos program of restoring CMOS mirror; Hard disk startup if desired then returns to the image file hdd.dat of hard disk startup among the CMOS RAM and goes.The advantage of this second method is simple, and method is general, do not need BIOS is proposed specific (special) requirements, by disposable manual initial operation, just can realize the Automatic Program setting in the change starting outfit process afterwards, BIOS can do by myself according to the selection of craft change CMOS start-up control byte, adjust simultaneously verification and.Its shortcoming is to need the user to participate in obtaining initial startup CMOS RAM image file, and the CMOS that the user can be provided with voluntarily in the restoring CMOS mirror file destroys, and therefore, this method not too is fit to commercially produced product.

Illustrate the performing step that obtains CMOS image file read_cmos program below:

A, read among the CMOS skew 10 bytes all register value in 128 bytes, and be written to core buffer by CMOS RAM standard access port 70H and 71H;

B, the core buffer content write in the CMOS RAM image file of starting outfit of appointment.

The performing step of the program write_cmos of restoring CMOS RAM mirror image is in this method:

C, the CMOS RAM image file of the starting outfit of appointment is read in the core buffer;

D, CMOS RAM access port 70H and 71H by standard are written among the CMOS skew 10 bytes to the interval of 128 bytes with the content of core buffer.

When using this method coding, it should be noted that: (1) should skip preceding 10 bytes of CMOS RAM, because what preceding 10 bytes were deposited among the CMOS RAM is system's real time clock (RTC) data that comprise system time, date etc., if all make mirror image, system time will be changed into the time when preserving during recovery.And, various BIOS to these 10 bytes not calculation check and.(2) CMOSRAM has 256 bytes, but has only preceding 128 bytes to operate by the CMOS access port of standard, is called as the standard CMOS data field; Relevant with chipset features, the different chipset access method difference of access method of back 128 bytes.Because the byte of control boot sequence is present in the standard CMOS data field, this data field and back 128 bytes are with different verifications and control.Therefore preservation and preceding 128 bytes of recovery (definitely saying 128-10=118 byte) can not cause the verification of CMOS RAM to make mistakes.

Below again starting with floppy drive, logon server, and carry out this locality from downloaded operating system installation program and be installed as example, the application process of second method is described:

At first be the operation of preparatory stage:

1, enter BIOS setup program, floppy drive is set to first starting outfit.Restart after the preservation.

2, operation read_cmos program generates the floppy.dat image file.

3, enter BIOS setup program, hard disk is set to first starting outfit.Restart after the preservation.

4, operation read_cmos program generates the hdd.dat image file.

Then be the application stage that changes starting outfit automatically:

1, insertion system bootable floppy disk, this floppy disk have network interface card and drive and the logon server program.

2, call the write_cmos program, the floppy.dat image file is write among the CMOS RAM.

3, the function of calling middle fracture Int19 restarts computing machine.

4, system starts from floppy disk, game server, and from downloaded operating system installation program to local hard drive.

5, use the write_cmos program, the hdd.dat image file is write among the CMOS RAM

6, rely on the installation function automatic installing operating system of operating system, in this process, system can reset automatically, and will continue installation and operation operating system from hard disk startup after restarting.

The third method of the present invention is the CMOS RAM content among the regulation BIOS, thereby provides boot sequence that the boot sequence that funcall changes computing machine is set.Can change existing C MOS RAM planning because directly stipulate the definition of CMOS RAM, this method of the present invention is to take a kind of indirect control mode, promptly stipulates unified BIOS funcall subroutine, changes boot sequence by the funcall subroutine again.Wherein the realization details of each funcall subroutine comprise that offset address, device numbering, verification and the mode etc. of how processing controls byte are all finished voluntarily by each mainboard producer, but the function of the interface of application programs and realization is identical.Its specific practice is: define a new BIOS funcall subroutine module group, and hang on the BIOS interface, for example Int15H; Also it can be arranged on the address of BIOS other interface related with application program; But, must find the subfunction sequence number that does not have on this interface open source information to define.The BIOS funcall subroutine module group here includes three subroutine modules at least:

Subfunction calling program module one: obtain version and installation check.This calling program module provides the installation check function, determines whether support equipment boot sequence funcall group of current BIOS.Require mainboard producer simultaneously:, can not occur crashing or phenomenon such as is restarted in system if BIOS does not support this funcall.

Subfunction calling program module two: read the current device boot sequence.This calling program module reads the numbering of current first, second and the 3rd starting outfit.Wherein the form of device numbering can adopt first kind of definition form in the implementation method.

Subfunction calling program module three: the device start order is set.This calling program module is provided with current first, second and the 3rd starting outfit, and equipment is wherein determined according to device numbering.

The third changes the process flow diagram of computer start sequence implementation method automatically referring to the present invention shown in Figure 2.Than the implementation procedure of having introduced this method in more detail, just repeat no more here among the figure.

The third method of the present invention has been carried out test enforcement by the applicant, has obtained good effect, reaches goal of the invention in advance.

Claims (3)

1, a kind of implementation method of automatic change computer start sequence is characterized in that: comprise the following steps:

(A) BIOS is set to target start equipment, adopts manual mode to set up the CMOS RAM content of needed each starting outfit respectively;

(B) use the read_cmos program that obtains the CMOS mirror image full content in each CMOS RAM that sets up in the step (A) to be saved as the image file of each starting outfit respectively;

(C) according to the needs of boot sequence, the write_cmos program that adopts restoring CMOS mirror returns to the image file of the starting outfit chosen among the CMOS RAM, can realize changing automatically the boot sequence of computing machine.

2, the implementation method of automatic change computer start sequence according to claim 1 is characterized in that: the performing step that obtains the program read_cmos of CMOS image file in the described step (B) is:

(B1) read among the CMOS skew 10 bytes all register value in 128 bytes by CMOS RAM standard access port 70H and 71H, and be written to core buffer;

(B2) the core buffer content is write in the CMOS RAM image file of starting outfit of appointment.

3, the implementation method of automatic change computer start sequence according to claim 1 is characterized in that: the performing step of the program write_cmos of restoring CMOS RAM mirror image is in the described step (C):

(C1) the CMOS RAM image file of the starting outfit of appointment is read in the core buffer;

(C2) CMOS RAM access port 70H and the 71H by standard is written among the CMOS skew 10 bytes to the interval of 128 bytes with the content of core buffer.

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