JP2001166885A - Storage device, storage device control method, medium on which storage device control program is stored, and computer system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve such problem that initialization of BIOS is not completed when a hard disk the BIOS of which exceeds a capacity supposed is used and the drive can not be used in a computer to use the old type BIOS. SOLUTION: First specification and second specification are constituted to be outputtable in this storage device and the first specification is outputted in the case of an initialization processing of BIOS when the computer is started. And, the second specification is outputted after the initialization and the storage device is set to be controlled based on the second specification. Consequently, the storage device is recognized and used even when the BIOS exceeds the supposed capacity.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a storage device, a storage device control method, a medium recording a storage device control program, and a computer device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, various peripheral devices are connected to a computer, and by using these peripheral devices, a predetermined function is realized as a computer device. In order to use the peripheral device, the computer needs to recognize the peripheral device so that the peripheral device can be used.
t System) executes an initialization program, confirms the existence of peripheral devices such as a memory and a storage device, and performs initialization and operation check.

Then, control is transferred to a bootstrap loader in the BIOS, and a program is read from a hard disk or the like and executed. That is, BIO
The bootstrap loader of S has an IPL (Initial Program Load) in the master boot record (MBR) written at the top of the hard disk.
r) to start the OS based on the information described in the partition table in the MBR.

[0004]

The above-mentioned conventional specifications have the following problems. In other words, storage devices such as hard disk drives connected to computers have been rapidly increasing in capacity in recent years. In computers using old BIOS, if a hard disk drive exceeding the capacity assumed by the BIOS is used, the amount of data stored in the BIOS increases.
The OS cannot be initialized and the drive cannot be used. The present invention has been made in view of the above problems,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a storage device, a storage device control method, a medium recording a storage device control program, and a computer device that can be recognized and used even if the specification exceeds the BIOS assumption.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, an invention according to claim 1 is a storage device connected to a computer, and outputs a first specification to the computer when the computer is started. First specification output means for outputting a second specification to the computer after the BIOS initialization process;
After the OS initialization process, the computer includes a storage device control setting unit that sets the computer to control the storage device based on the second specification.

[0006] In the invention according to claim 1 configured as described above, the storage device operates when the BIOS of the computer does not normally use the peripheral device, that is, when the computer normally starts up. Is a peripheral device that is designed to stop, but can be used by connecting to the computer. For this purpose, the first specification output means outputs the first specification to the computer when the computer is started, and the second specification output means outputs the second specification to the computer after the BIOS initialization processing. Output.

[0007] Then, the storage device control setting means, B
After the IOS initialization process, the computer is set to control the storage device based on the second specification.
Here, the first specification is the BIOS of the computer.
Are specifications within a range that is assumed to be used, and the first specification is output in the BIOS initialization process when the computer is started, thereby preventing the operation from being stopped in the initialization process.

The second specification is an original specification of the storage device, and is output after the BIOS is initialized. Therefore, the second specification is started regardless of whether the BIOS is assumed to be used. Sometimes the operation does not stop. Further, after starting without stopping the operation in this way, since the storage device control setting means is set to control the storage device on the computer based on the second specification, The user can use the storage device as if the computer recognized the storage device without any consideration.

Here, it is sufficient that the BIOS is an interface between the storage device and the computer and serves as an interface during data input / output processing. The first specification may be any specification within the range assumed by the BIOS as described above. For example, a limitation of a hard disk capacity of 4.3 G or less is the first specification. The second specification is, in the case of a hard disk, the original disk capacity of the hard disk drive or the like, and a specification exceeding 10 G, for example.

[0010] As an example of the configuration of the first specification output means, the invention according to claim 2 is the storage device according to claim 1, wherein the first specification output means is provided within a range permitted by the BIOS. It is configured to output information indicating the storage capacity. That is, as the first specification, information indicating that the storage capacity is within the range permitted by the BIOS is output to make the computer recognize a large-capacity hard disk or the like. In this case, it is sufficient that the capacity can be indicated, and a command that can be recognized by a normal hard disk drive can be used. For example, it is conceivable to use an “IDENTIFY DEVICE” command in an IDE drive.

[0011] The configuration of the second specification output means can be considered in the same way. As an example, the invention according to claim 3 is based on the storage device according to claim 1 or 2. The second specification output means is configured to output information indicating the actual storage capacity of the storage device. In the invention according to claim 3 configured as described above, a command that can be recognized by the hard disk drive when outputting the second specification can be used in the same manner as when outputting the first specification. Also in this case, it is conceivable to use the “IDENTIFY DEVICE” command in the IDE drive.

In the storage device control setting means, the BIO
It is only necessary that the computer can be set to control the storage device based on the second specification after the S initialization processing, and various configurations are available. As an example, the invention according to claim 4 is the storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the storage device control setting unit is configured to execute a storage control based on information stored in a master boot record of the storage device. And causing the computer to execute a program for performing the above setting.

In the invention according to claim 4 configured as described above, predetermined information is stored in a master boot record of the storage device, and a program for performing the setting based on the information is executed by the computer. Is done. That is, the master boot record usually contains the BI
Since the setting program is read first after the initialization processing of the OS, the setting program is executed by reading the portion. More specifically, a predetermined hook program is executed by the IPL described in the master boot record, and the hook program executes
It is conceivable to make settings based on the second specification before starting S.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, as a specific example of the contents executed by such a program, in the storage device according to the fourth aspect, the program does not execute the processing based on the first specification. , And the second specification is output after the BIOS is initialized, and the BIOS replacement process is executed based on the second specification.

In the invention according to claim 5 configured as described above, in the program, execution of processing based on the first specification is prohibited, output of the second specification, and execution of the BIOS based on the second specification. Execute the alternative processing. In other words, the program stored in the storage device is executed by the computer, and the execution of the program, the output of the second specification, and the substitution process are performed by the computer. It is possible to set to control the storage device based on the second specification which is the specification of (1).

As described above, even if the storage device is controlled based on the second specification, the BIO based on the first specification can be used.
If the storage device can be accessed as it is at the time of initialization of S, it is not necessary to reset the storage device at the time of outputting the second specification, and the storage device can be controlled via the initialized BIOS. It is also conceivable to perform Therefore, in the invention according to claim 6 as an example of a configuration for that, in the storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The storage device control setting means is configured to perform either an access performed by a normal BIOS or an access based on a control setting according to the second specification, according to a type of an access process to the storage device. That is, when access is normally performed based on the control settings according to the second specification, but the control settings according to the first specification are sufficient, the BIO
Access is performed based on the S initialization processing.

As described above, the method of outputting the first specification recognizable by the BIOS at the time of initializing the BIOS and recognizing the second specification when actually accessing is called an apparatus. It is not limited to the embodiment. As an example, the invention according to claim 7 is a storage device control method for connecting a storage device having a predetermined specification to a computer and making the storage device usable, wherein the first specification is output from the storage device when the computer is started. BIO based on the first specification
Executing an initialization process of S, and thereafter outputting a second specification for accessing the storage device from the storage device,
After the output of the second specification, the storage device is controlled based on the second specification. That is, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the form of the apparatus, and is effective as a method.

Further, according to the present invention, the storage device is configured to output the first specification at the time of startup,
A predetermined program may be executed in order to make an access based on the second specification. That is,
The present invention is not necessarily limited to the mode of the apparatus and the method, but can be regarded as a medium on which the program is recorded.
Therefore, according to the present invention, there is provided a medium storing a storage device control program for controlling access to a storage device connected to a computer.
A storage device that is started after the initialization of the IOS and is set to output the first specification when the computer is started is set to control the storage device based on the second specification after the initialization. The present invention can also be provided as a medium that stores a storage device control program that causes the computer to realize the storage device control function described above.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the storage medium storing the storage device control program according to the eighth aspect, the storage device control function performs the following after the initialization.
In addition to setting not to execute the process based on the first specification recognized by the IOS, the second specification is output after the initialization, and the BIOS is set based on the second specification.
The present invention can also be provided as a medium in which a storage device control program characterized by executing the alternative processing of the above is recorded.

Further, in the sense that the program stored in the storage device is executed by a computer so that the mass storage device can be recognized, the present invention is provided as a computer device comprising a storage device and a main body as a control entity. You can also. That is, as in the invention according to claim 10, a storage device capable of outputting the first specification and the second specification and set to output the first specification at the time of startup, In addition to performing the initialization process, the second specification is set to be output to the storage device after the initialization of the BIOS, and the storage device is set based on the second specification after the initialization. It can also be provided as a computer device having a main body for controlling.

[0021]

As described above, according to the present invention, the BIOS
It is possible to provide a storage device that can be recognized and used even if the specification exceeds the assumed specification. Further, according to the second aspect of the present invention, the first specification can be output using the function of a normal storage device. Further, according to the third aspect of the present invention, the second specification can be output using the function of a normal storage device.

Further, according to the invention of claim 4,
The computer can easily be set to control the storage device based on the second specification. Further, according to the invention according to claim 5, the storage device is controlled based on the second specification. Further, according to the invention according to claim 6, the setting based on the second specification can be performed efficiently. Further, according to the invention of claim 7, it is possible to provide a storage device control method capable of recognizing a storage device even if the specification exceeds the specification assumed by the BIOS.

Further, according to the invention of claim 8,
It is possible to provide a medium in which a storage device control program capable of recognizing a storage device even when the specification exceeds the specification assumed by the BIOS is recorded. Further, according to the ninth aspect, the storage device is controlled based on the second specification. Further, according to the tenth aspect, B
It is possible to provide a computer device capable of recognizing a storage device even if the specification exceeds the specification assumed by the IOS.

[0024]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a computer system to which a storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. In FIG. 1, the computer system includes a CPU 11, a RAM 12, a BIOS 13, a floppy disk drive interface (FDD-I / F) 1
4 and an IDE interface (IDE-I / F) 15 are connected to a bus line. Also, FDD
-A floppy disk drive (FD)
D) 14a is connected, and the IDE-I / F 15 has a CD-
The ROM drive 16 is connected.

Further, the IDE-I / F 15 has a hard disk drive (HD) as a storage device according to the present invention.
D) 20 is connected. The CPU 11 is a RAM 1
2 can be used as a temporary work area or a setting storage area while performing predetermined initialization processing written in the BIOS 13 and data input / output processing via the FDD-I / F 14 and the IDE-I / F 15. It is possible. HDD
Reference numeral 20 denotes a unit in which a magnetic recording medium (not shown), a disk drive mechanism, and an access mechanism are integrated, and the IDE-I / F
The input / output of data is performed while a command of IDE specification is transmitted / received via the terminal 15. The above BIOS1
Reference numeral 3 assumes that the storage capacity of the hard disk is 4.3 GB or less, and the operation is stopped when a storage capacity of the same capacity or more is detected at initialization.

The MBR 21 is recorded in the first sector of the magnetic recording medium of the HDD 20 to be read, and information necessary for booting the computer, such as partition information of the magnetic recording medium, is stored. The IPL 21a is stored as one of the information stored in the MBR 21, and the IPL 21a is loaded at the time of boot, and the
11 starts the OS while performing predetermined processing and referring to the partition table. FIG.
This shows a boot sequence of the computer, and in FIG.
S13 initializes the RAM 12 and peripheral devices.

In the initialization of step S100,
The HDD 20 outputs a specification within a range permitted by the BIOS 13, that is, a first specification.
In step S100, the boot sequence continues without stopping the operation. Therefore, the process of outputting the first specification constitutes the first specification output means. Step S1
At 10, the MB of the HDD 20 is transmitted via the IDE-I / F 15.
Read R21 and load IPL. And CP
U11 reads and executes the program indicated by the IPL. In this embodiment, the U11 starts the hook program before starting the OS described in the normal IPL. Start the hook program.

The hook program causes the HDD 20 to output a second specification, which is the actual specification of the HDD 20, and then sets the HDD 20 to access the HDD 20 according to the second specification. Therefore, after the hook program is executed, settings based on the second specification are made,
After the setting, in step S130, the OS stored in the HDD 20 is started in the same manner as the original IPL process. As described above, the process of outputting the second specification by the hook program constitutes the second specification output unit, and the process of setting to access the HDD 20 by the second program by the hook program is performed by the storage device control. The setting means is configured.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the BI shown in step S100.
This diagram conceptually shows the initialization process of the OS 13, in which the BIOS 13 is connected to the RAM 1 via a bus line.
FD via the bus line and I / F
D14a, the CD-ROM drive 16, and the HDD 20 are accessed to perform operation check and initialization.
The HDD 20 is capable of outputting the first specification and the second specification, and is shown in CHS-1 at the time of initialization by a “SET MAX ADDRESS” command at a factory or the like before shipment. It is set to output the first specification.

That is, the BIOS 13 at the time of initialization initializes the HDD 20 via the bus line and the IDE-I / F 15.
Against the IDE specification "IDENTIFY DEVIC
An "E" command is transmitted to output the first specification CHS-1. It should be noted that the CHS-1 comprises information on cylinders, heads, sectors, etc. In the present embodiment, the disk capacity indicated by the CHS-1 is 2
GB, and 2 GB is a capacity within an allowable range assumed by the BIOS 13. Therefore, as described above, the operation of the computer does not stop during this initialization.

FIG. 4 shows step S110 in FIG.
The flow until the OS is started by the subsequent processing is RA
This is conceptually shown using the memory map of M12 and the storage contents of the magnetic storage medium of the HDD 20. In the figure, an IPL 21 a is stored in the MBR 21 of the HDD 20 together with the above-described partition information and the like, and the IPL 21 a is first loaded into the RAM 12. This IP
Since L indicates the storage location of the hook program to be executed next, the hook program stored in the HDD 20 is then loaded into the RAM 12 based on the IPL.

As shown in the figure, the hook program is used for the HDD 20 such that the cylinder, head,
The command “S” for setting the sector CHS-2
ETMAX ADDRESS ”
In addition to the routine for starting the OS, the BIOS 13
Routines Sub1, Sub2,.
Consists of When the hook program is loaded into the RAM 12, the “SETMAX ADDRESS” command is executed, and the HDD 20 is stored at a predetermined position in the RAM 12.
Is stored. Here, this parameter is, as shown in FIG.
3 ", the number of heads is" 255 ", the number of sectors is" 63 ", and the capacity exceeds 13 GB. Thereafter, by accessing the HDD 20 using this parameter, it is possible to perform appropriate access. I have.

As described above, the second specification CHS-2 is RAM
Then, a routine for starting the OS is executed next. Here, the OS startup routine is executed by the OS of the HDD 20.
Is accessed, the OS is loaded into the RAM 12 by a predetermined procedure, and the OS is started. After this,
When the OS accesses the HDD 20, usually the BIOS
13, the hook program routine Su without going through
The access processing is performed by using the parameters 12a, 12b, and the like.
Since the computer accesses the D20, the computer
Access while recognizing the actual capacity of

FIG. 5 conceptually shows a procedure for accessing the HDD 20 after the OS is started. In FIG.
To write data to or read data from the DD 20, the OS performs a series of processes for accessing the HDD 20. In the present embodiment, the OS performs the processes based on the hook program. That is, when the OS attempts to access the HDD 20, a predetermined routine (hereinafter referred to as Su) of the hook program is used.
bn). Also, the hook program is transmitted to the BIOS 13 via the BIOS 13 only when necessary.
Is programmed to access the HDD 20 based on the above processing.

FIG. 6 shows the operation of each unit in reading data from the HDD 20 as described above. In the figure, the registers of the CPU 11 include an interrupt register and a data register.
9821, etc., when reading data from the HDD 20, as shown in FIG.
1B ”.“ 1 ”is stored in the interrupt register INT.
When B "is given, the routine Subn of the hook program in the RAM 12 is started, the HDD 20 is accessed while referring to the appropriate parameter 12a of the HDD 20, and data at a predetermined address is held in the data register of the CPU 11.

The CPU 11 reads data from a predetermined address by referring to the data in the data register. That is, usually, the BI
Control of direct access to the HDD 20 performed by the OS 13 is performed by a routine of a hook program.
Here, the parameters at the time of access are stored in RAM as described above.
12 is CHS-2, which is the second specification, and is not the BIOS 13 initialized by the above-described CHS-1.
Therefore, at the time of booting, the HDD 20 is recognized as having a low capacity that can be recognized by the BIOS 13, but at the time of actual access, the processing of the BIOS 13 is replaced by a hook program, and the HDD 20 is controlled based on an appropriate setting. Can be.

As described above, in the storage device according to the present invention, the first specification and the second specification are configured to be able to be output, and the first specification is output during the BIOS initialization process at the time of starting the computer. I do. Then, after the initialization, the second specification is output, and the setting is made to control the storage device based on the second specification. Therefore, the storage device can be recognized and used even if it exceeds the specification assumed by the BIOS.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a computer system to which a storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a boot sequence of the computer.

FIG. 3 is a diagram conceptually showing a BIOS initialization process.

FIG. 4 is a diagram conceptually showing a flow until an OS is started using a memory map of a RAM and contents stored in an HDD.

FIG. 5 is a diagram conceptually showing a procedure when the OS accesses the HDD.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the operation of each unit in reading data from the HDD.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 ... CPU 12 ... RAM 12a ... Parameter 13 ... BIOS 14 ... FDD-I / F 14a ... FDD 15 ... IDE-I / F 20 ... HDD 21 ... MBR 21a ... IPL

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A storage device connected to a computer, a first specification output means for outputting a first specification to the computer when the computer is started, and a first specification output means for outputting the first specification to the computer after a BIOS initialization process. Second specification output means for outputting the second specification; and storage device control setting means for setting the computer to control the storage device based on the second specification after the BIOS initialization processing. A storage device characterized by the above-mentioned. 2. The storage device according to claim 1, wherein the first specification output means outputs information indicating that the storage capacity is within a range permitted by the BIOS. . 3. The storage device according to claim 1, wherein the second specification output means outputs information indicating an actual storage capacity of the storage device. Storage device. 4. The storage device according to claim 1, wherein the storage device control setting unit performs the setting based on information stored in a master boot record of the storage device. A storage device characterized by causing the computer to execute a program. 5. The storage device according to claim 4, wherein the program is set not to execute a process based on the first specification, and the second specification is initialized after the BIOS is initialized. A storage device for outputting an output and executing a BIOS replacement process based on the second specification. 6. The storage device according to claim 1, wherein the storage device control and setting unit determines an access performed by a normal BIOS according to a type of an access process to the storage device. And performing an access based on a control setting according to the second specification. 7. A storage device control method for connecting a storage device of a predetermined specification to a computer and making the storage device usable, comprising: outputting a first specification from the storage device when the computer is started; Performs a BIOS initialization process based on the second specification, and thereafter outputs a second specification for accessing the storage device from the storage device, and stores the second specification and thereafter based on the second specification. A storage device control method comprising controlling a device. 8. A medium storing a storage device control program for controlling access to a storage device connected to a computer, which is started after BIOS initialization, and outputs a first specification when the computer is started. A storage device control function for setting the storage device to be controlled based on the second specification after the initialization for the storage device set to perform the storage device control. Medium on which program is recorded. 9. A medium storing the storage device control program according to claim 8, wherein the storage device control function is configured not to execute a process based on the first specification recognized by the BIOS after the initialization. A storage medium storing a storage device control program for setting and outputting the second specification after the initialization, and executing a substitute process of the BIOS based on the second specification. 10. A storage device capable of outputting a first specification and a second specification and configured to output the first specification at the time of startup, and performing initialization processing by a BIOS at the time of startup. A main unit for setting the second specification to be output to the storage device after the initialization of the BIOS, and controlling the storage device based on the second specification after the initialization. Computer device.