JP2003345602A - Hard disk drive subsystem with journal memory and control program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that a boot module including an OS increases and a system startup time becomes longer owing to the increase in the amount of the read-in data of the boot module. <P>SOLUTION: An HDD subsystem 6 with a journal memory comprises an HDD subsystem controller 7, an HDD 8, and the journal memory 9; and the journal memory 9 has journal data 93 as a boot module copy read out at the last startup, a journal data attribute information DB 91 which holds each piece of module attribute information, and a read-out data attribute information DB (current boot module attribute record) 92 and the controller 7 has a control means 71 of controlling reading and writing of other journal memories 9 of the HDD 8 as instructed by an interface controller 4, reading a boot module specified through attribute information comparison out of the HDD 8 only when it is not present in the journal memory 9, and updating the journal memory 9 right after startup. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hard disk subsystem that is used in an information processing apparatus and includes, as storage contents, operating system modules and data necessary for starting up the information processing apparatus, and a host-side program for controlling the same. In particular, the present invention relates to a hard disk subsystem capable of reading a boot module at startup at high speed, and a host-side program for controlling the hard disk subsystem.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional PC system (personal computer system), boot modules required for system startup are usually stored in an HDD subsystem (hard disk drive subsystem) connected to the PC. .

When the PC is started, the PC first reads an OS (operating system) module and data, which are essential for starting the system, from the HDD via a controller to a memory system provided inside the PC. By sequentially executing the processes recorded in those modules, the system is finally started up.

[0004]

However, in recent years, with the expansion of the PC system and its software functions, the functions of the boot modules corresponding thereto have also expanded, and the data amount of the boot modules has increased.

[0005] Therefore, in the above-mentioned prior art, there is a problem that the system startup time is prolonged due to an increase in the amount of data read from the boot module.

[0006] Here, even if the data amount of the boot module increases, the module execution time does not relatively increase significantly due to recent technical innovations related to the main processor. However, the hard disk for storing and reading the boot module has not advanced in technology as compared with the processor, and the increase in the amount of data read from the hard disk directly causes the increase in the read time.

[0007] This is because, in the case of a processor, all of the processing is performed by an electrical signal, so that the performance is improved in proportion to an increase in the signal transmission speed. This is because a physical operation of reading a signal is involved, so that a significant improvement in performance cannot be expected unless the physical structure is improved.

[0008] However, except for a case where the hardware or software of the device is changed, the PC system has a characteristic that the same boot module is executed in the same procedure every time the PC system is started up.

In the present invention, by utilizing this characteristic and having a mechanism for automatically storing the boot module in the journal memory in advance, the reading time of the boot module can be reduced, and as a result, the total system startup time can be reduced. Realize.

[0010]

A first hard disk drive subsystem with a journal memory according to the present invention is a hard disk drive including a module and data of an operating system necessary for starting up an information processing system, that is, a boot module group. And a non-volatile memory for holding a copy of the boot module group read at the last boot as journal data, and a hard disk drive subsystem including a controller for controlling these, wherein the non-volatile memory Has journal data which is a copy of the boot module group, and journal data attribute information holding attribute information capable of identifying each boot module of the journal data.The controller is connected to a hard disk drive subsystem. When a boot start notification is received from a higher-level device and a read instruction for a boot module specified by attribute information is received from the higher-level device, the attribute information is compared with the journal data attribute information, and the attribute information is included in the journal data attribute information. If the boot module is registered, a designated boot module is read from the journal data area. If the boot module is not registered, the boot module is read from the hard disk and passed to the host device.

A second hard disk drive subsystem with a journal memory according to the present invention is the first hard disk drive subsystem with a journal memory, wherein the nonvolatile memory sequentially instructs reading after receiving the boot start. The read module also has a read data attribute information record for temporarily storing the attribute information of the boot module sequentially, and the controller of the controller sequentially reads and reads the read data attribute information record after receiving a boot end from a higher-level device. If the attribute information of each module is not registered in the journal data attribute information, the boot module specified by the read attribute information is read from the hard disk, copied to a journal data area, and the journal data attribute information is used to copy the journal data attribute information. Also has means to update And wherein the door.

A third hard disk drive subsystem with a journal memory according to the present invention is the second hard disk drive subsystem with a journal memory, wherein the control means of the controller includes a boot device instructed to read during boot. When comparing the attribute information of the module with the journal data attribute information, if there is at least one unregistered module, the module is turned on, and also has an update request representative flag that is referred to at the end of booting. For example, the journal data and the journal data attribute information are updated.

A fourth hard disk drive subsystem with a journal memory according to the present invention is the second hard disk drive subsystem with a journal memory, wherein the control means of the controller comprises: If the attribute information and the journal data attribute information have not been registered, an update request individual flag is added to the corresponding record of the read data attribute information record, and this individual flag is added to the journal data and journal data attributes after the boot is completed. A feature is also provided in which information is referred to in information update processing.

A fifth hard disk drive subsystem with a journal memory according to the present invention is the second, third, or fourth hard disk drive subsystem with a journal memory, wherein the controller includes a computer virus detecting means. The control means reads a boot module serving as update data from a hard disk before updating the journal data and the journal data attribute information after the boot is completed, and reads the boot module using the virus detection means to determine whether there is an infection. Check
A feature is also provided in which means for updating the journal data and the journal data attribute information after confirming no infection is provided.

A sixth hard disk drive subsystem with a journal memory of the present invention is the fifth hard disk drive subsystem with a journal memory, wherein the control means checks in the virus check if the computer is infected. And a means for receiving an instruction from the host device and writing back each boot module of the journal data area specified by the journal data attribute information to the hard disk in response to an instruction from the host device.

A seventh hard disk drive subsystem with a journal memory according to the present invention is the hard disk drive subsystem with a journal memory according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein journal data attribute information and read data of the journal memory are provided. It is characterized in that the attribute information record is a predetermined number of records per module, and is a record in the order in which reading is instructed.

An eighth hard disk drive subsystem with a journal memory of the present invention is the hard disk drive subsystem with a journal memory according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein journal data attribute information and read data of the journal memory are provided. The attribute information of the attribute information record includes a file name.

A ninth hard disk drive subsystem with a journal memory according to the present invention is the hard disk drive subsystem with a journal memory according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, wherein the journal memory is a flash memory. And

A first control program according to the present invention is a program for controlling a hard disk drive subsystem in a host device to which the second hard disk drive subsystem with a journal memory is connected. A boot start notification and an instruction to read the individual boot modules specified by the attribute information are issued. If the read boot module is a predetermined boot end module, a boot end notification is made, and the read data attribute information recording and It is characterized in that it has a procedure for instructing the start of a process of comparing journal data attribute information, and updating journal data and journal data attribute information according to the comparison result.

A second control program according to the present invention is a program for controlling the hard disk drive subsystem in a host device to which the third, fourth, or fifth hard disk drive subsystem with journal memory is connected. The hard disk drive subsystem issues a boot start notification and an instruction to read the individual boot modules specified by the attribute information, and notifies the boot end if the read boot module is a predetermined boot end module. The method further comprises the step of instructing the start of update processing of journal data and journal data attribute information if the update request representative flag value is turned on with reference to the update request representative flag value.

A third control program according to the present invention is a program for controlling the hard disk drive subsystem in a host device to which the sixth hard disk drive subsystem with journal memory is connected. A boot start notification and a read instruction for each boot module specified by the attribute information are performed. If the read boot module is a predetermined boot end module, a boot end is notified and the update request representative flag value is set. If it is on, a procedure for instructing update processing of journal data and journal data attribute information, a procedure for requesting display of attribute information of an infected boot module when a virus infection report is received, and a boot module response Is instructed to write back Reading of the journal data attribute information in the hard disk drive subsystem, and having a procedure for instructing writing to the hard disk of the boot module on the journal data area designated by the attribute information.

A fourth control program according to the present invention is the first, second, or third control program, wherein the attribute information includes a file name.

[0023]

Next, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a PC system 1 including an HDD subsystem 6 with a journal memory, which is the subject of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, PC system 1 includes a main processor unit (hereinafter referred to as M) for processing and executing data.
PU) 2, a memory 3 for temporarily storing data and programs, an HDD subsystem 6 with a journal memory for storing data and programs semi-permanently, and reading and writing of data to and from the HDD subsystem 6 with a journal memory. It comprises a DISK interface controller 4 and a system controller 5.

The system controller 5 connects the MPU 2, the memory 3, and the DISK interface controller 4, and controls communication between the MPU 2, the memory 3, and the DISK interface controller 4.

The DISK interface controller 4 and the HDD subsystem with journal memory 6 are ATA interfaces or SCSI-compliant interfaces.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of the HDD subsystem 6 with a journal memory, which is the subject of the present invention, and the firmware 41 for controlling the subsystem.
Referring to FIG. 2, the HDD subsystem with journal memory 6 includes an HDD (hard disk drive) 8 for semi-permanently recording data, a journal memory 9 in which a boot module stored in the HDD is copied, and an HDD 8 and a journal memory 9. It is constituted by an HDD subsystem controller 7 which controls and performs data communication with the system controller 5.

The additional components of the journal memory 9 and the HDD subsystem controller 7 are the same as those of the conventional HDD device.
It is mounted on a D controller board or the like.

The journal memory 9 is constituted by a nonvolatile memory having the same read / write performance (access time) as the memory 3 and retaining information even when the power is turned off. As an example of the non-volatile memory, a flash memory or a battery or battery backup RAM is used.

The journal memory 9 is mainly composed of a journal data attribute information database 91, a read data attribute information database 92, and a journal data area 93, and three areas. The data attribute information is composed of information groups that can uniquely specify data, and can be set arbitrarily. Hereinafter, the database is abbreviated as DB.

The boot module itself is stored in the journal data area 93, and is stored in the journal data attribute information DB.
Reference numeral 91 denotes a DB in which the attribute information for uniquely identifying the boot module read when the system was successfully started last time is defined as one record of one boot module in the order in which the read command was issued. .

That is, the journal data attribute information DB 91
If the attribute information of the boot module is recorded in the journal data area 93, the boot module is always stored in the journal data area 93. In the last record of the journal data area 93, a code indicating the end of the DB is recorded.

Like the journal data attribute information DB 91, the read data attribute information DB 92 is constructed as a DB in which attribute information for uniquely specifying a boot module is a record with one boot module as one record. The information DB 92 has a mechanism for recording the attribute information of the data module instructed to be read from the MPU 2 to the HDD subsystem controller 7 through the system controller 5 each time the PC system 1 is actually started up.

The read data attribute information DB 92 is initialized each time when it starts up. That is, the read data attribute information DB 9
Numeral 2 serves as a log that records the boot modules actually instructed in the order in which the instructions are issued, and includes a journal data attribute information DB 91 and a read data attribute information DB 9
2 and the journal data attribute information DB 91
Can be confirmed as to whether or not the content of the boot module has been instructed by the instruction.

As in the journal data attribute information DB 91, a code indicating the end of the DB (database) is recorded in the last record of the read data attribute information DB 92.

The HDD subsystem controller 7 controls the reading and writing of the HDD 8 and controls the journal memory 9 in the same manner as the ordinary HDD subsystem.
One. The control unit 71 compares the attribute information of the boot module for which the read instruction has been issued with the attribute information of the journal data attribute information DB 91, and compares the attribute information of the read data attribute information DB 92 with the attribute information of the journal data attribute information DB 91. 711.

The control means 71 includes an HDD 8 and a journal memory 9 connected to the HDD subsystem controller 7.
Means for controlling reading and writing of data from and to the HDD subsystem controller 7 instead of the HDD 8 based on the attribute information of the specified boot module to the HDD subsystem controller 7 or the boot module of the HDD 8 Is copied to the journal data area 93.

The attribute information comparing means 711 includes a journal data attribute information DB 91 and a read data attribute information DB 92
Are compared to determine whether they match or not. Registers # 1 and # 1 capable of temporarily storing data records of journal data attribute information DB 91 and read data attribute information DB 92 for comparison
2 is implemented. These registers are realized by a scratch pad memory, and are realized by allocating words to the registers # 1 and # 2.

The firmware 41 is software stored in the DISK interface controller 4. The firmware 41 initializes the read data attribute DB 92 with the activation of the system controller 5 as a trigger, and sets the start of the journal to H.
The program that notifies the DD subsystem controller 7 and the reading of the database end code of the read data attribute information DB 92 are used as triggers to set the journal end to H.
A program for notifying the DD subsystem controller 7 is installed.

That is, the firmware 41 executes the reading and writing of the journal to the journal memory 9, the signal of the start and end of the writing, and the processing procedure.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. For simplicity of explanation, P in FIG.
Boot modules # in a reading order of a series of N boot modules required to start up the C system 1
1, boot module # 2, ..., boot module #
N.

Similarly, for the sake of simplicity, the data attribute information stored in the journal data attribute information DB 91 and the read data attribute information DB 92 includes a file name, a time stamp, and a data size of the boot module to be specified. It is assumed that the boot module is uniquely determined by these three pieces of information.

FIG. 3 shows a data storage image of N boot modules in the HDD 8 and the journal data area 93 at that time. Also journal data attribute information DB
FIG. 4 shows a storage image of attribute data relating to N boot modules in the read data attribute information DB 92.

Although not shown, the read data attribute information DB
There is also an example in which each record 92 has a flag (update request individual flag) indicating the necessity of reading the module from the HDD 8 and updating the journal data area 93 with the module.

The N boot modules stored in the HDD 8 are stored in advance when the PC system 1 is installed. Here, in addition to the N boot modules, a journal end module to be read at the (N + 1) -th time when the system startup is completed is prepared.

The journal end module is a module for notifying the HDD subsystem controller 7 of the end of the journal from the started system.

The HDD subsystem controller 7 that has received the journal end notification sends the journal data attribute information D
The journal end code is written in B91 and the (N + 2) th record of the read data attribute information DB 92.

If the module does not exist in the journal data area 93 using the read data attribute information DB 92 recorded so far, the firmware 41 copies the data of the boot module from the HDD 8 to the journal data area 93. It is a mechanism to start the described program.

FIGS. 5 to 7 are flowcharts showing the operation of this embodiment. First, referring to FIG. 5, the power of the PC system 1 is turned on (step 1), the system controller 5 is activated, which activates the DISK interface controller 4, and the firmware 41 is activated (step 2). The firmware 41 issues a command for initializing the read data attribute information DB 92 to the control means 71,
The start of journal recording is notified to the MPU 2 (step 3), and a record counter (this counter value is set to a) is initialized to 0 (step 4).

Next, the MPU 2 starts with the boot module # 1
Is issued to the system controller 5.
The system controller 5 issues a command to the HDD subsystem controller 7 to read the module (step 5).

The HDD subsystem controller 7 uses the control means 71 to record the attribute information of the boot module # 1 for which the read command has been issued in the record a of the read data attribute information DB 92, and at the same time, the attribute information comparison means 7
11 is recorded in the register # 1 (step 6).

The attribute information comparing means 711 checks whether or not the content of the register # 1 is an end code (step 7). If it is an end code, the operation proceeds to the operation phase of C; The contents of record a are read into register # 2 in attribute information comparison means 711 (step 8).

Next, the control means 71 refers to the comparison result of the contents of the register # 1 and the register # 2 (step 9), and if the results are the same, the control means 71 reads the register data from the journal data area 93 of the journal memory 9. Boot module # specified from the data attribute information recorded in # 2
1 is read out to the system controller 5 (step 10).

If the comparison result is different, the control means 7
1 reads out the data of the boot module # 1 specified by the attribute information of the register # 1 from the HDD 8 to the system controller 5 (step 11).

When the boot module is installed on the HDD 8 and started up for the first time, or when the system is changed, H
When the content of the boot module # 1 stored in the DD8 is updated, the content of the register # 2 and the content of the register # 1 are updated.
Are different, the content of the boot module # 1 is read from the HDD 8.

If the contents of the register # 2 and the contents of the register # 1 are the same, the boot module # 1 originally intended to be read from the HDD 8 is the same as the boot module # 1 already stored in the journal data area 93. The journal data area 93 is used to indicate the contents.
And reads the boot module # 1 to the HDD subsystem controller 7.

The system controller 5 stores the read data in the memory 3, and the processing of the boot module # 1 is executed by the MPU 2 (step 13). If the execution is successful (step 14), the firmware 41
Advances the record counter (a) by one (step 1).
5) Since the MPU 2 issues a read instruction for the next boot module # 2, the operation shifts to the operation phase B.

If the execution is unsuccessful, the PC system 1 stops and the process is terminated.

When the operations of steps 5 to 15 are repeated and the execution up to the boot module #N is completed, the PC system 1
Is completed.

At the time of the next execution, the journal end module is read. After receiving this, the end of the journal is received from the interpreted or executed higher order (higher than the DISK interface controller 4).

The control means 71 checks the end code from the contents of the register # 1 (step 7) and shifts to the phase of the operation C.

Referring to FIG. 7, in the phase of operation C, first, the firmware 41 initializes the record counter (a) to 0, and notifies the HDD subsystem controller 7 of the end of the journal (step 17). Next, the content of the row a of the read data attribute information DB 92 is read into the register # 1 in the control means 71 (step 18).

If the content of the register # 1 is an end code, this is copied to the line a at that time in the journal data attribute information DB 91 and the process is terminated (step 25).

If the content of the register # 1 is not the end code, the journal data attribute information DB 9 is stored in the register # 2.
1, the attribute information of the row a is fetched (step 20). If the comparison results of the registers # 1 and # 2 do not match (step 21), the data specified from the attribute information recorded in the register # 1 is read from the HDD 8. The data is copied to the journal memory 9 (step 22).

Since the counter has been initialized, the first information read into the register # 1 is the boot module # 1
If the journal data area 93 is in the initial state, the contents of the boot module # 1 are copied from the HDD 8 to the journal data area 93. The contents of register # 1 (attribute information of boot module # 1)
Is line a (line 0) of the journal data attribute information DB 91
(Step 23).

Thereafter, the firmware 41 advances the record counter (a) by one (step 24), and
The operations of steps 18 to 24 are repeated until the end code is read in step 1. When the copying up to the journal end module is completed, all the modules necessary for a series of startups of the system 1 are copied to the journal data area 93, and the attribute information is stored in the journal data attribute information DB.
The state recorded in 91 is obtained.

When the end code is read into the register # 1 (step 19), the end code, which is the content of the register # 1, is recorded in the a line of the journal data attribute information DB 91 (step 25).

As described above, when all processes are completed, the same operation is repeated when the system is terminated and restarted.

Next, another example of this embodiment will be described.
In this embodiment, the control means 71 has an update request representative flag. This flag is set to ON when the boot module is read from the HDD 8 and transmitted in step 11 of FIG. 6 (step 12).

After the firmware 41 transmits an end code (journal end notification) to the control means 71 in step 7 of FIG. Only when this switch is on (step 16), the operation shifts to the phase of the operation C.

Next, still another embodiment of the present embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the control means 71 has an update request representative flag, and this flag is turned on when the boot module is read from the HDD 8 and transmitted in step 11 in FIG. Further, the individual update request flag is turned on and added to the row a of the read data attribute information DB 92 (second item in step 12).

Then, the control means 71 executes step 2 in FIG.
Instead of the operations of 0 and 21, the update request individual flag is read together with the attribute information of the read data attribute information DB 92 in step 18, and if it is on, the process proceeds to step 22;

Next, the specific start-up time of the PC system 1 according to the present invention will be verified based on the specific read / write performance of the HDD 8 and the journal memory 9.

The HDD 8 widely used at present
In many cases, an HDD subsystem having an average read speed of about 40 MBytes per second corresponding to the UltraATA66 interface is employed.

On the other hand, when the memory 3 corresponding to the PC 133, which is widely used at present, is adopted as the journal memory 9, when the contents of the HDD 8 and the journal memory 9 are the same, reading of the memory of the same standard is performed. Reading at about 500 MBytes per second, which is the average speed, is possible.

Here, assuming that the total capacity of the N boot modules is 1000 MByte, if all the N boot modules are read only by the HDD 8, the module read time is required to be 1000/40 = 25 seconds.

On the other hand, when all N boot modules are read from the journal memory 9 according to the present invention,
Reading is completed in 00/500 = 2 seconds.

In both cases, the time for the main processor unit 2 to process N boot modules is the same.
Is reduced by 23 seconds, which is the difference between the two.

That is, the HDD with a journal memory of the present invention
The employment of the subsystem 6 makes it possible to reduce the system start-up time by 20 seconds or more without making a major modification to the PC system 1.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the HDD memory-equipped subsystem 6 of the present embodiment. Referring to FIG. 8, the HDD subsystem controller 7A is provided with a virus detection unit 72 in addition to the control unit 71A and the attribute information comparison unit 711.

The virus detecting means 72 is a mechanism for reading the contents to be copied into the work area under the boot module before copying the boot module from the HDD 8 to the journal data area 93, and checking whether the contents are contaminated by a computer virus.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Here, the definition of the boot module is the same as that of the first embodiment, and is as shown in FIG. When the PC system 1 is started, N boot modules are read and executed in the same manner as in the flowcharts of FIGS.

When the execution up to the boot module N is completed, the journal end module is read and sent out, and the control means 71 receives the end of the journal from the firmware 41 and checks that the content of the register # 1 is the end code. Thereafter, the process proceeds to the phase of operation C ′ in FIG.

In the phase of the operation C ′ in FIG. 9, first, the firmware 41 initializes the record counter (a) to 0 (step 31). Next, the read data attribute information DB 9
2 is read into register # 1 (step 3
2) If this content is not an end code (step 3
3), the row a of the journal data attribute information DB 91 is fetched into the register # 2 (step 34), and the register # 1,
If # 2 does not match (step 35), register # 1
The data specified from the attribute information recorded in the HDD 8
Is copied to a work area under the virus detection means 72 (step 36), and the virus detection means 72 checks whether the data is contaminated with a computer virus (step 36).

When the computer virus is contaminated, the infection detection flag is turned on, and the attribute information recorded in the register # 1 is stored in the status area (step 39). If not contaminated, the firmware 41 immediately returns a response, and the firmware 41 sets the record counter (a) to 1
Then, a series of operations is repeated until the end code is read into the register # 1.

When the end code is fetched into the register # 1, the control means 71 checks the infection detection flag, and if the flag is off, shifts to the phase of the operation C in FIG. If the infection flag is on, the firmware 41 of the DISK interface controller 4 is notified of the infection by, for example, attention (step 41). The firmware 41 acquires detailed status such as boot module attribute information of the infection, and then notifies the MPU 2 together with a display request.

The MPU 2 displays the infection information and the detailed information (Step 42). At this time, as a countermeasure, the operator is made to select whether or not to return the series of boot modules of the HDD 8 to the previous boot module group. When the MPU 2 receives the return selection, the MPU 2 issues an instruction to delete the current boot module of the HDD 8, the deletion is executed, and then a write-back instruction is issued to the DISK interface controller 4. Note that the MPU 2 may read the read data attribute information DB 92 to specify the above-mentioned deleted boot module.

Referring to FIG. 10, when the firmware 41 receives the write-back instruction (step 50), it initializes the record counter (step 51) and instructs the control means 71 to write-back. The control means 71 loads the row a of the DB 91 into the register # 1 (step 52), and if the register # 1 is not an end code (step 54), the register # 1
Is read from the journal data area 93 to the work area, and
Write to D8 (step 54).

The firmware 41 has a record counter a
Is incremented, and steps 52 to 55 are repeated. When the end code is read into the register # 1, the write-back operation ends.

Thus, if the boot module of the HDD 8 is contaminated by a computer virus that prevents the next system startup, the journal memory 9 that is not contaminated by the computer virus is used.
Is written back to the HDD 8 to return to the state before the contamination.

Therefore, there is a new effect that the system can be started without being affected by the computer virus at the next start.

[0092]

As described above, if the hard disk subsystem with a journal memory according to the present invention is prepared, all the boot modules can be read from the journal memory having sufficiently high read / write performance as compared with the HDD, so that the system startup time can be improved. All hardware mechanisms including journal memory are implemented in the HDD subsystem and can be connected through the conventional DISK interface controller. Therefore, the system can be applied to the conventional PC system without significant modification, and the system time can be reduced. realizable.

Next, the contents of the journal data area and the contents of the boot module group of the HDD are compared using the journal data attribute information DB and the read data attribute information DB each time the module is started, and the module which has been changed is started. Since the copying process is performed later, the system startup time can be reduced even when the system is updated.

Further, an HDD for storing a boot module
By not using, the product life can be extended more than before. This is because the product life tends to be shorter as the HDD is used more frequently, but in the present invention, all boot modules are always read from the journal memory unless the system is updated, and the number of times of HDD access is reduced. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention, in which a P including a HDD subsystem 6 with a journal memory, which is the subject of the present invention;
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a C system 1.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of an HDD subsystem with a journal memory 6 which is a main component of the present invention and a firmware 41 for controlling the HDD subsystem 6 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an image of data storage of N boot modules in an HDD 8 and a journal data area 93 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a storage image of attribute data relating to N boot modules in a journal data attribute information DB and a read data attribute information DB according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an H with a journal memory according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the DD subsystem 6.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 PC system 2 MPU 3 memory 4 DISK interface controller 41 Firmware 5 System controller 6 HDD subsystem with journal memory 7, 7A HDD subsystem controller 71, 71A control means 711 Attribute information comparison means 72 Virus detection means 8 HDD 9 Journal memory 91 Journal data attribute information DB 92 Read data attribute information DB 93 Journal data area

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. A hard disk that includes a module and data of an operating system necessary for starting up an information processing system, that is, a boot module group in a storage content.
A nonvolatile memory for holding a copy of the boot module group read in the last boot as journal data, and a hard disk drive subsystem including a controller for controlling the nonvolatile memory, wherein the nonvolatile memory includes: The controller has journal data which is a copy of the boot module group and journal data attribute information holding attribute information capable of identifying each boot module of the journal data, and the controller boots from a higher-level device to which a hard disk drive subsystem is connected. Upon receiving the start notification and receiving the instruction to read the boot module specified by the attribute information from the upper device, the attribute information is compared with the journal data attribute information, and if the attribute information is registered in the journal data attribute information. If the journal Reading the specified boot module than the data area, read from the hard disk if it is not registered, a hard disk drive subsystem with a journal memory; and a control means for each pass to the host device. 2. The non-volatile memory also has a read data attribute information record for sequentially and temporarily storing attribute information of a boot module instructed to be sequentially read after receiving the boot start, and the controller of the controller includes: The boot module designated by the read attribute information if the read attribute information of each module is not registered in the journal data attribute information, sequentially reading the read data attribute information record after receiving a boot end from the host device. 2. The hard disk drive subsystem with a journal memory according to claim 1, further comprising: means for reading out from the hard disk, copying the data to the journal data area, and updating the journal data attribute information with the attribute information. 3. The controller of the controller turns on if at least one unregistered module is found when the attribute information of the boot module instructed to be read during the boot is compared with the journal data attribute information. 3. The journal memory according to claim 2, further comprising an update request representative flag referenced at the end of booting, and when the flag is on, the journal data and the journal data attribute information are updated. Hard disk drive subsystem. 4. The control means of the controller updates the corresponding record of the read data attribute information record if the attribute information of each boot module for which the read instruction has been issued is not registered in the comparison with the journal data attribute information. 3. The hard disk drive subsystem with a journal memory according to claim 2, further comprising means for adding a request individual flag and referring to the individual flag in updating of journal data and journal data attribute information after the boot is completed. 5. The controller also has a computer virus detection unit, and the control unit executes a boot module serving as update data before updating the journal data and the journal data attribute information after the boot is completed. 3. The system according to claim 2, further comprising means for reading the data from a hard disk, checking the presence or absence of infection using the virus detection means, and confirming the absence of infection, and then updating the journal data and journal data attribute information. 5. The hard disk drive subsystem with a journal memory according to 3, 3 or 4. 6. The control means includes means for notifying a higher-level device of the virus check if the virus has been infected, and a journal specified by the journal data attribute information in response to an instruction from the higher-level device. 6. The hard disk drive subsystem with journal memory according to claim 5, further comprising means for writing back each boot module of the data area to the hard disk. 7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the journal data attribute information and the read data attribute information record of the journal memory are set to a predetermined number of records per module, and are recorded in the order in which reading is instructed. A hard disk drive subsystem with a journal memory according to any of the preceding claims. 8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the journal data attribute information of the journal memory and the attribute information of the read data attribute information record include a file name.
A hard disk drive subsystem with a journal memory according to any one of the above. 9. The hard disk drive subsystem with a journal memory according to claim 1, wherein said journal memory is a flash memory. 10. A program for controlling a hard disk drive subsystem in a host device to which the hard disk drive subsystem according to claim 2 is connected.
A boot start notification and a read instruction of each boot module specified by the attribute information are performed, and if the read boot module is a predetermined boot end module,
A control program having a procedure for giving a boot end notification, comparing read data attribute information recording with journal data attribute information, and instructing a start of an update process of journal data and journal data attribute information according to the comparison result. 11. A program for controlling a hard disk drive subsystem in a higher-level device to which the hard disk drive subsystem according to claim 3, 4, or 5 is connected. When the read boot module is a predetermined boot end module, the boot end is notified, the boot end is notified, and the boot request is turned on by referring to the update request representative flag value. If so, a control program having a procedure for instructing a start of update processing of journal data and journal data attribute information. 12. A program for controlling a hard disk drive subsystem in a host device to which the hard disk drive subsystem according to claim 6 is connected.
A boot start notification and a read instruction for each boot module specified by the attribute information are issued, and if the read boot module is a predetermined boot end module,
Notifying the end of the boot, referring to the update request representative flag value, if ON, a procedure for instructing an update process of journal data and journal data attribute information, and receiving a virus infection report, the attribute information of the infected boot module. When the boot module write-back is instructed as a response, the journal data attribute information is read out to the hard disk drive subsystem, and the boot module hard disk on the journal data area specified by the attribute information is read out. And a procedure for instructing writing of the control program. 13. The control program according to claim 10, wherein the attribute information includes a file name.