JP2845261B2 - Write test method for external storage device and information processing system using the same - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an external storage device write test method for performing a data write test on an external storage device by a control device in accordance with an instruction of an information processing device, and an information processing system to which the method is applied.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when a data write test is performed on an external storage device by this type of information processing apparatus, a data write test dedicated area is determined in advance so as to conform to the specifications of the external storage device. Data is being written to the test-only area. Incidentally, the information processing device and the external storage device may be collectively referred to as an information processing system.

In addition, before executing a test, an empty area in an external storage device is automatically searched or found by a manual search (operator), and data is written into the empty area. In some cases, a dedicated write test medium corresponding to the type of the external storage device is prepared.

[0004]

In the data write test to the external storage device by the information processing device described above, there are various problems.

For example, with respect to a method of determining a data write test dedicated area in advance so as to conform to the specification of an external storage device, with the recent downsizing / opening, an operating system (O
S) When operating predetermined software such as software on an information processing apparatus of its own standard, it is often difficult to design in advance software that is conscious of a dedicated test area of an external storage device. It is very difficult to perform a data write test on the data. As a result, there is a problem that shipping inspection and field maintenance of the external storage device are not performed smoothly.

Further, regarding a method of searching for a free area of an external storage device before executing a test, considering that the storage capacity of the external storage device tends to increase in the future,
Since the search time may increase, there is a disadvantage that a large amount of time is required to execute the test.

Further, regarding a method of preparing a write test exclusive medium corresponding to the type of the external storage device, considering the possibility that a variety of external storage devices will be developed and sold in the future, the test exclusive medium is used. However, it is not preferable because various types of diversification are required and the man-hours and purchase costs for preparing these are enormous.

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and its technical problem is to secure a special area in an external storage device and to prepare a test-only medium without using a special medium. An object of the present invention is to provide a write test method for an external storage device that can easily execute a write test on the external storage device and an information processing system to which the write test method is applied.

[0009]

According to the present invention, a write operation for an external storage device for performing a data write test on the external storage device by using a control device instructed by the information processing device to control the external storage device. In the test method, storage data stored in a designated area of a data storage area of an external storage device is read out and temporarily stored in a data storage unit in a control device, and the storage data is read from the same designated area of the data storage area. A storage data storage step of re-reading and comparing the storage data temporarily stored in the data storage unit to recognize the normality and storing the storage data in the data storage unit; From the storage data and write it to the same designated area of the data storage area,
A data write-back step in which the storage data written from the same designated area of the data storage area is read out once, the storage data in the data storage section is compared and collated to recognize the normality, and the storage data is written back. The write test method for an external storage device having the following is obtained.

On the other hand, according to the present invention, an external storage device in which storage data is stored in a designated area of a data storage region, an information processing device for reading storage data and performing a data write test on the external storage device, A control device for controlling the external storage device instructed by the information processing device, further comprising a data storage unit for temporarily storing or storing the storage data, and further the control device reads the storage data from the designated area of the data storage area In the information processing system, the storage data stored in the data storage unit is read out, the storage data stored in the data storage unit is read out, written in the same designated area of the data storage area, and a write test is performed to write back the storage data. The control device stores data in accordance with a specific read command issued from predetermined software in the information processing device. Together temporarily held in the data storage unit reads memory data stored in the designated area of the band,
Data for re-reading the storage data from the same designated area of the data storage area, comparing and collating with the temporarily stored storage data to recognize the normality, and storing the storage data in the data storage unit A read-and-hold mechanism for reading storage data from the data storage unit according to a specific write command issued from predetermined software in the information processing device and writing and storing the data in the same designated area of the data storage area; A data write-back mechanism for once reading out stored data written from the same designated area of the data storage area, comparing and collating the stored data with the stored data in the data storage section, recognizing the normality, and writing back the stored data. And an information processing system having the unit.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, an outline of a write test method for an external storage device according to the present invention will be briefly described. This write test method performs a data write test on an external storage device using a control device instructed by an information processing device to control the external storage device, and stores the data in a designated area of a data storage area of the external storage device. The stored data is read out and temporarily stored in the data storage unit in the control device, and the stored data is read out again from the same designated area of the data storage area and compared with the storage data temporarily stored in the data storage unit. A storage data storing step of storing the storage data in the data storage unit after recognizing the normality and reading the storage data from the data storage unit and writing the data in the specified area of the data storage area, and By reading the stored data once and comparing it with the stored data in the data storage unit to recognize the normality.憶 is to implement the steps rewrite data written back data.

In the case of this writing test method, the storage device stored in the specified area of the data storage area of the external storage device to be tested is temporarily held in the control device for controlling the external storage device. Since the stored data is later written back, the write test to the external storage device can be easily executed without securing a special area in the external storage device or preparing a test-only medium.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of an information processing system according to an embodiment to which the write test method for an external storage device is applied.

The information processing system includes an external storage device 30 in which storage data is stored in a designated area of a data storage region 30a, and an information processing device 10 for reading storage data and performing a data write test on the external storage device 30. When,
Data storage unit 20c for temporarily storing or storing storage data
And a control device 20 that controls the external storage device 30 when instructed by the information processing device 10.

The information processing device 10 includes, for example, a central processing unit (not shown), a main storage device, and an input / output control device (not shown). Each of these components is provided with operating system (OS) software (OS) as predetermined software. It operates according to OS software 10a.

The control device 20 is connected to the information processing device 10 via a data transmission path 40 such as a bus. The control device 20 reads stored data from a designated area of the data storage area 30a of the external storage device 30 and stores the read data in the data storage section 20c. While storing,
The storage data stored in the data storage unit 20c is read out, written in the same designated area of the data storage area 30a, and a write test is performed to restore the storage data to the original.

For this reason, the control device 20 reads out the storage data stored in the designated area of the data storage area 30a in accordance with a specific read command issued from the OS software 10a in the information processing apparatus, and
c, the storage data is read out again from the same designated area of the data storage area 30a, and the stored data is compared and collated with the temporarily stored storage data to recognize the normality. And a data reading and holding mechanism unit 20a for storing the data in the data storage area 20a according to a specific write command issued from the OS software 10a in the information processing apparatus 10. The data is written and stored in the same designated area, and the storage data written from the same designated area in the data storage area 30a is read once and compared with the storage data in the data storage unit 20c to recognize the normality and store the data. A data write-back mechanism 20b for writing data back.

Hereinafter, the operation functions of the data read / hold mechanism 20a and the data write back mechanism 20b provided in the control device 20 of the information processing system will be described more specifically.

The OS software 10a running on the information processing device 10 sends the storage data stored in the designated area of the data storage area 30a of the external storage device 30 to the data reading and holding mechanism 20a of the control device 20. 2
A specific read command (hereinafter, simply referred to as a read command) instructing to store the data in the data storage unit 20c of 0 and temporarily hold the data is issued. This read command is transferred to the control device 20 via the data transmission path 40, and is received and recognized by the data read / hold mechanism 20a. The data read and hold mechanism unit 20a that has recognized the read command reads the storage data stored in the designated area of the data storage area 30a of the external storage device 30 specified by the read command and stores the read data in the data storage unit 20c of the control device 20. And hold it temporarily. Further, the data reading and holding mechanism unit 20a reads the storage data stored in the same designated area of the data storage area 30a of the external storage device 30 again, and
The storage data temporarily stored in the data storage unit 20c is compared with the read data again, and the data storage unit 20c
Is stored after recognizing the normality of the stored data held in the.

Thus, the storage data stored in the data storage area 30a of the external storage device 30 is transferred to the data storage unit 20 of the control device 20 in accordance with an instruction from the OS software 10a.
This completes the process of temporarily holding and storing in c.

Next, an OS operating on the information processing apparatus 10
The software 10a is provided to the data write-back mechanism unit 20b of the control device 20 and the data storage unit 20 of the control device 20.
A specific write command (hereinafter, simply referred to as a write command) for instructing the storage data stored in c to be written and stored in the same designated area of the data storage area 30a of the external storage device 30 is issued. This write command is transferred to the control device 20 via the data transmission path 40, and is received and recognized by the data write-back mechanism 20b. The data write-back mechanism unit 20b that recognizes the write command writes the storage data stored in the data storage unit 20c to the same designated area of the data storage area 30a of the external storage device 30 specified by the write command. Further, the data write-back mechanism unit 20b reads the storage data written and stored from the same designated area of the data storage area 30a of the external storage device 30 once, and reads out the data storage unit 20 of the control device 20.
The stored data is compared and collated with the stored data stored in c, and the stored data is rewritten by recognizing the normality of the stored data.

Thus, the storage data stored in the data storage unit 20c of the control device 20 can be stored in the data storage area 30a of the external storage device 30 according to an instruction from the OS software 10a.
The process of writing back to the same designated area is completed.

By applying such a write test method for an external storage device, an arbitrary data storage area 3 of the external storage device 30 can be read from the OS software 10a.
By writing and reading test data to and from 0a, a function test or the like of the external storage device 30 can be performed.

For example, first, the storage data (test data) in an arbitrary area of the data storage area 30a of the external storage device 30 is stored and stored in the data storage unit 20c of the control device 20 in accordance with an instruction from the OS software 10a by the above-described method. . Thereafter, in accordance with an instruction from the OS software 10a, writing and reading of test data are performed on the same area of the data storage area 30a of the external storage device 30 to perform a function test and the like of the external storage device 30. After the test is completed, the test data stored in the data storage unit 20c of the control device 20 is written back to the same area of the data storage area 30a of the external storage device 30 in accordance with an instruction from the OS software 10a by the above-described method.

By performing such a procedure, it is possible to perform test data writing and reading function tests on the data storage area 30a of the external storage device 30 without destroying the storage data of the data storage area 30a of the external storage device 30. It can be implemented.

Therefore, when performing a write and read test on the external storage device 30, a special test area is secured on the external storage device 30 in advance, or a free data storage area is set on the external storage device 30. Conventional procedures such as searching and finding by software processing and manual work, and consideration and work for preparing and mounting various test-dedicated media related to the external storage device 30 become unnecessary.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention, a data write test is performed on an external storage device using a control device that is instructed by the information processing device and controls the external storage device. In order to temporarily store the storage data stored in the designated area of the data storage area of the external storage device to be tested in the control device and to write back the stored data after the write test is completed, the external storage device Without having to secure a special area, search for and find a free data storage area on the external storage device by software processing or manual work, or perform a write test on the external storage device without preparing a dedicated test medium. It can be easily executed.

As a result, even when predetermined software designed according to other specifications is operated on the information processing apparatus of its own specification in accordance with recent downsizing / opening, the test-only area of the external storage device is considered. Since the test for writing data to the external storage device can be performed without any trouble, the shipment inspection and the field maintenance can be smoothly performed.
Further, since it is not necessary to search for a free space in the external storage device, the test execution time can be minimized even if the storage capacity of the external storage device increases in the future. Furthermore, since there is no need to prepare a dedicated write test medium according to the type of the external storage device, the man-hour and purchase cost for preparing such a dedicated test medium are not required, and the time and cost required for the data write test are eliminated. Can be greatly reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of an information processing system according to an embodiment to which a write test method for an external storage device of the present invention is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 information processing device 20 control device 30 external storage device 10a OS software 20a data read / hold mechanism unit 20b data write back mechanism unit 20c data storage unit 30a data storage area 40 data transmission path

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] An external storage device write test method for performing a data write test on an external storage device using a control device instructed by an information processing device to control the external storage device, wherein the external storage device The storage data stored in the designated area of the data storage area is read out and temporarily stored in the data storage unit in the control device, and the storage data is read out again from the same designated area of the data storage area to read out the data storage area. A storage data storage step of storing the storage data in the data storage unit after recognizing the normality by comparing and collating with the storage data temporarily stored in the storage unit, and reading the storage data from the data storage unit. The data is written to the same designated area of the data storage area, and the storage data written from the same designated area of the data storage area is read once and the data is read out. A data write-back step of rewriting the storage data by recognizing normality by comparing and collating with the storage data in the storage unit. 2. An external storage device in which storage data is stored in a designated region of a data storage region, an information processing device that reads the storage data and performs a data write test on the external storage device, A control device for controlling the external storage device instructed by the information processing device, further comprising a data storage portion for temporarily storing or storing the data, and the control device further stores the storage data in a designated area of the data storage region. Information stored in the data storage unit, and the storage data stored in the data storage unit is read out and written in the same designated area of the data storage area to perform a write test. In the processing system, the control device performs a specific reading issued from predetermined software in the information processing device. In accordance with the instruction, the storage data stored in the specified area of the data storage area is read and temporarily stored in the data storage section, and the storage data is read again from the same specified area of the data storage area and temporarily stored. A data reading and holding mechanism unit for storing the storage data in the data storage unit after recognizing the normality by comparing and collating with the storage data; and a specific writing issued from predetermined software in the information processing apparatus. While reading out the storage data from the data storage unit by the data reading and holding mechanism unit according to the instruction and writing and storing it in the same designated area of the data storage area,
A data write-back mechanism that reads out the stored data once written from the same designated area of the data storage area, compares the stored data with the data stored in the data storage section, and recognizes the normality to write back the stored data; An information processing system comprising: