JP3039213B2 - IPL device designation method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for designating an IPL device when loading an initial program from various file storage devices.

With recent diversification of file storage devices,
Various types of file storage devices are connected to the computer system. For example, magnetic disk devices, optical disk devices, magnetic tape devices of various sizes,
CD-ROMs and their types are increasing, and even in such a situation, an arbitrary file storage device is selected, and a predetermined program stored in the selected file storage device is initially stored in a RAM or the like. Program loading
(IPL) is needed.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a conventional method of designating an IPL device. FIG. 5 (a) shows a configuration example of a computer system, and FIGS. 5 (b1) and (b2) show initial settings. 1 shows a conventional allocation example in a setting unit that indicates whether or not a program loading (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as IPL) device is mounted.

As shown in FIG. 5 (a), a plurality of IPL devices 1 such as a floppy device and a disk device are conventionally connected to a computer system, and the type and number thereof are determined by each computer system. Was different. For example, as shown in FIG. 5A, in a certain computer system, a tape device 1a may be connected.

[0005] Further, the computer system has a setting unit 2 representing the IPL device 1 mounted on the computer system.
An IPL device display unit 4 for prompting an operator to designate a device 1 for actually performing an IPL among the IPL devices 1 set in the setting unit 2 and mounted on the computer system; Input means (I
A PL device designation section 5), for example, a keyboard and a mouse are provided. Then, when the computer system is powered on and performs IPL, the central processing unit (MPU)
By executing the display program on the OM 3, the IPL device 1 set in the setting unit 2 is displayed on the IPL device display unit 4, and the loading device (IPL device) 1 is operated by an instruction from the operator. The boot program corresponding to the IPL device 1 selected by the instruction from the operator among the boot programs corresponding to the IPL device 1 provided in each computer system stored in the ROM 3 is executed by executing The loader stored in the IPL device 1 is read, and the read loader loads the operating system (OS) and the application (APL) into, for example, a main storage device (RAM) 6 and executes it.

[0006]

At this time, the setting unit
2 is, for example, as shown in FIGS. 5 (b1) and (b2),
DIP switches and non-volatile memory not shown
(NVM), and as described above, if the type and number of connected IPL devices 1 are different depending on each computer system, a boot program to be read from the ROM 3 or a setting in the setting unit 2 will be set. The configuration of a display program or the like for displaying the name of the IPL device on the display unit 4 differs for each computer system, and the ROM chips (ROMa, ROMb) for each computer system are designed.
(Specifically, a boot program, a display program design, etc.) had to be remanufactured.

[0007] In view of the above-mentioned conventional disadvantages, the present invention provides a computer system having various various file storage devices.
In order to specify the IPL device at the time of performing the initial program loading, an extended I / O device that differs depending on the computer system while maintaining compatibility with the conventional IPL device specification method.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an IPL device designation method capable of designating a PL device.

[0008]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the present invention. The above-mentioned problem is caused by an I which is constructed as follows.
The problem is solved by the PL device designation method.

(1) At the time of initial program loading, a plurality of I / Os storing programs to be loaded are stored.
A PL unit 1, a setting unit 2 that indicates whether or not the IPL unit 1 is mounted, and a display unit that displays, for example, names of the plurality of IPL units 1 and prompts the user to specify an IPL unit. 4 and one of the IPL devices 1
An input means 5 for designating a PL device 1, wherein an IPL device designation method for executing initial program loading by the designated IPL device 1, wherein an extended IPL is provided for a predetermined number of the IPL devices 1. When the device 1a is added, the expanded IPL device is added to the setting unit 2.
1a is provided, and a nonvolatile memory 7 in which, for example, a name and a boot program of an IPL device corresponding to the expanded IPL device 1a are registered is provided, and the setting unit (2 ), The non-volatile memory 7
The name of the extended IPL device 1a registered in the non-volatile memory 7 is displayed on the display unit 4 and corresponds to the IPL device 1a specified by the input unit 5. To perform the initial program loading.

(2) The exclusive OR of all data corresponding to each boot program on the nonvolatile memory 7 or data corresponding to each IPL device is “0” or “1”. For example, before the program on the nonvolatile memory 7 is executed, all data corresponding to the boot program is stored in a predetermined area on the nonvolatile memory 7, or , An exclusive OR of data corresponding to each IPL device, and comparing it with the added data to check the validity of the boot program.

(3) An identifier indicating whether the data in the nonvolatile memory 7 is valid is provided in a predetermined area on the nonvolatile memory 7, and the identifier is stored in the predetermined area.
When the above data is instructed to be valid, for example, the name of the expanded IPL device 1 is read from the non-volatile memory 7 and displayed on the display unit 4.

(4) The setting unit 2 has a designation that the flag bit indicating the presence of the extended IPL device is valid,
When the identifier on the nonvolatile memory 7 indicates that the data on the nonvolatile memory 7 is invalid, or when the data on the nonvolatile memory 7 is read, a parity error or the like occurs. When a hardware error is detected, a loading device is fixedly designated.

(5) A pointer area is provided in a predetermined area on the nonvolatile memory 7 for indicating the start address of all boot programs and data. From the start address of all boot programs indicated by the pointer of the pointer area, For example, the name of the IPL device corresponding to each boot program,
A boot program start address and data indicating a boot program capacity are arranged, and an IPL corresponding to a predetermined boot program is started from the address indicated by the pointer.
The system is configured to select a device name, a boot program start address, and data indicating a boot program capacity and load a predetermined boot program.

[0014]

That is, in the IPL device specifying method of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1A, a boot program corresponding to the IPL device provided as a basic configuration in the computer system is stored in the ROM. And an IPL device that differs depending on the computer system, that is, an extended IPL.
A boot program corresponding to the device is stored in a non-volatile memory
(NVM).

In the present invention, a predetermined one bit of the meaning, for example, the eighth bit, in the setting section constituted by the above-described dip switch or the like is replaced with an extended IP.
When the flag bit indicating presence / absence of the extended IPL device is valid, the IPL device name on the non-volatile memory (NVM) and its boot program are referred to. When the extended IPL device is not set in the non-volatile memory (NVM), that is, when the flag bit indicating the presence / absence of the extended IPL device is invalid, the nonvolatile memory (NVM) is compatible with the conventional IPL device designation method. Therefore, the IPL device designated conventionally is designated at the position of the flag bit indicating the presence / absence of the extended IPL device.

The structure of the nonvolatile memory (NVM) is
The nonvolatile memory (NVM) includes a pointer area and a data area. For example, an NV indicating the existence of data such as a boot program corresponding to each IPL device at the lowest address.
An M identifier is provided, and an IPL device name, a boot program start address, a boot program length, and the like corresponding to each IPL device are provided from the position indicated by the pointer in the pointer area, so that the NVM identifier is invalid, When the data is read, when a parity error occurs, a boot program corresponding to the extended IPL device has not been set yet or cannot be used. For example, a fixed IPL device, specifically, Is to specify the IPL device designated at the corresponding setting position by the conventional IPL device designation method.

Therefore, the IP using the nonvolatile memory (NVM)
When the setting of the L device is not performed, the device operates in the environment of the conventional IPL device, and when the extended IPL device exists, the IPL device name and the non-volatile memory (NVM) are stored in the nonvolatile memory (NVM).
Just storing the corresponding boot program, the conventional I
Various IPLs while maintaining compatibility with the method of specifying the PL device
IPL can be performed from the device.

[0018]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. FIG. 1 described above is an explanatory view of the principle of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 3 shows a configuration example of a computer system and a display example of an IPL device name, FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a method of specifying an IPL device according to the present invention, and FIG. 4 shows a configuration example of a nonvolatile memory (NVM). ing.

In the present invention, the setting unit 2 for indicating whether or not the IPL device 1 is mounted, and the extended IPL device
Nonvolatile memory (NV
M) 7 and, for example, displaying the name of the IPL device set by the
And an input means (IPL device designation unit) 5 for designating the IPL device 1 for the operator to actually perform the IPL. If the flag bit indicating the presence of the IPL device is valid, the MPU executes the display program on the ROM 3 to change the name of the extended IPL device 1 registered on the nonvolatile memory (NVM) 7. Is displayed on the IPL device display section 4, the loading device (IPL device) is determined according to an instruction from the operator, and the corresponding initial program (boot program) on the nonvolatile memory (NVM) 7 is executed, or The means developed and executed on the main memory (RAM) 6 is the means necessary to carry out the present invention. Note that the same reference numerals indicate the same object throughout the drawings.

Hereinafter, a method for specifying an IPL device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First, as shown in FIG. 1, the setting unit 2 of the basic IPL device shown in FIG. 1 may be composed of, for example, a dip switch (DIP SW), or the nonvolatile memory (NVM) shown in FIG. 7 may be stored in a predetermined area. In principle,
Although it may be stored in the ROM 3, the basic I
If the configuration of the PL device 1 is different, it becomes necessary to regenerate the ROM chip. Therefore, the DIP switch (DIP SW) or the nonvolatile memory (NVM) 7 is preferable as described above.

The configuration of the nonvolatile memory (NVM) 7 is shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, the nonvolatile memory (NVM) 7 comprises a pointer area and a data area. For example, the NVM indicating the existence of data such as a boot program corresponding to each IPL device at the lowest address. An identifier is provided, and an IPL device name, a boot program start address, a boot program length, etc. corresponding to each IPL device 1 are provided from the position indicated by the pointer in the pointer area. When the data is read, when a parity error occurs, a boot program corresponding to the extended IPL device has not been set yet or cannot be used. For example, a fixed IPL device, specifically, Is to specify each IPL device 1 (see FIG. 5 (b1)) designated at the corresponding setting position by the conventional method of specifying the IPL device 1. To.

Usually, the non-volatile memory (NVM) 7 is used from the lowest address to the upper direction as shown in FIG. Therefore, as described above, for example, the above-mentioned NVM identifier is provided at the lowest address, and a boot program pointer corresponding to each extended IPL device 1 is provided at the next address, and the boot program pointer is A fixed area (three words in this example) consisting of the IPL device display character, the start address of the boot program, and the length of the boot program is stored in a predetermined order as information corresponding to each extended IPL device from the designated address. Have been. The end address of the fixed area is, for example, 3
Words can be read out one by one, and it can be recognized by detecting that the contents of the start address, that is, the area of the IPL device display character is all "0".

The exclusive OR of all data on the nonvolatile memory (NVM) 7 or each data of the boot program corresponding to each extended IPL device is "0". "1" is determined by the nonvolatile memory (NVM)
7 Upper predetermined area (in the example of FIG. 4, the area of the third address counted from the lowest address or the address of the fourth address or higher)
This is used when the program and data on the nonvolatile memory (NVM) 7 are checked for validity, which will be described later.

Next, referring to FIG. 3, a method for specifying an IPL device according to the present invention will be described. First, as one embodiment, the correspondence between the IPL device 1 of the computer system and the above-described setting unit 2 using, for example, a dip switch (DIP SW) is as follows.

1) DISK0 2) DISK1 3) DISK2 4) DISK3 5) 3.5 "Floppy 6) 8" Floppy 7) Optical Disk 8) Flag bit with / without extended IPL device This flag bit is with / without extended IPL device. : In FIG. 2 (b), when pointing at the hatched triangle, the following extended IPL device is stored in the nonvolatile memory (NVM) 7 while maintaining compatibility with the display example of the conventional example described in FIG. {Specifically, the name of the IPL device, the boot program, and the length of the boot program} are set. << Refer to FIG. 1 (b) >> 8) CD-ROM << This CD-ROM is a conventional one.
The 8th DIP switch (DIP SW) was set and displayed. 9) Magnetic tape 1/4 "10) Magnetic tape 8mm The flag bit for the presence / absence of the extended IPL device is set to the absence of the extended IPL device (invalid ), The CD-ROM is specified by the eighth bit of the setting unit 2 so that the conventional setting unit can be used even when the nonvolatile memory (NVM) 7 is invalid. Compatibility with the method of designating the IPL device in 2 can be maintained.

In the flowchart of FIG. 3, first, in the computer system, the name of the basic IPL device is read, for example, a dip switch (DIP SW) constituting the above-mentioned setting unit 2 and the like. IPL device display (LCD or CRT)
The screen 4 displays the device names of the basic IPL devices 1) to 7). {Refer to processing step 100 in FIG. 3} Next, it is checked whether the flag bit of the setting unit 2 indicating the presence / absence of the extended IPL device is valid (for example, logic “1”). If the bit is invalid (for example, logic “0”), the DIP switch (DIP
The IPL device indicated by the eighth bit of SW), in the above example, "CD-ROM" is displayed. {Refer to the processing steps 101 and 110 in FIG. 3} If the flag bit indicating the presence / absence of the extended IPL device is valid, the above-described NVM in the nonvolatile memory (NVM) 7 is used.
The identifier is read, and information (IPL device name, IPL device name,
Boot program, etc.) is set, and the I / O extended on the nonvolatile memory (NVM) 7 is determined.
The information corresponding to the PL device 1 is not set, that is,
If the NVM identifier indicates invalid, the process proceeds to processing step 110 where the DIP switch (DIP S
W), the IPL device indicated by the eighth bit, in the above example, "CD-ROM" is the IPL device display unit (LCD o).
(r CRT) Display on screen 4.処理 Processing step 10 in Fig. 3
2, 103, 110｝ If the IPL extended on the non-volatile memory (NVM) 7
When the information corresponding to the device 1 is set, that is, when the NVM identifier indicates validity,
From the non-volatile memory (NVM) 7 described in
The device name {IPL device name} described in 8) to 10) above is read and displayed on the screen of the IPL device display section (LCD or CRT) 4 (see FIG. 2B). << Refer to processing step 104 in FIG. 3 >> For the displayed IPL device 1, the operator
PL device designation section ｛Keyboard or mouse｝ 5
Designate a device that actually performs IPL. In the example of FIG. 2B, the first bit (ie, the 8th) CD-ROM of the display bit of the extended IPL device name is designated.

At this time, if the specified IPL device 1 is an extended IPL device as described above, the boot program corresponding to the IPL device (in the above example, CD-ROM) 1 is read, and for example, The data is expanded on the main memory (RAM) 6 and exclusive-OR is performed on the data of the expanded boot program, and the data is already set in the predetermined area on the nonvolatile memory (NVM) 7 as described above. Then, the normality of the data of the boot program is checked, and if the data is normal, the boot program developed on the main memory (RAM) 6 is executed. Of course, at this time, all data in the nonvolatile memory (NVM) 7 may be checked. << Refer to processing steps 106 to 109 in FIG. 3 >> If the specified IPL device is not an extended IPL device, a boot program corresponding to the specified IPL device is read from ROM 3 and executed. {See Processing Steps 106 and 109 in FIG. 3} The processing in the flowchart shown in FIG. 3 is performed by a program stored in the ROM 3, for example.

The setting unit 2 has a designation that a flag bit indicating the presence of an extended IPL device is valid.
When the identifier on the nonvolatile memory 7 indicates that the data on the nonvolatile memory 7 is invalid, or when the data on the nonvolatile memory 7 is read, a parity error or the like occurs. When the hardware error is detected, the IPL device cannot be specified. For example, the loading device is fixedly specified.

As described above, in the method for specifying the IPL device according to the present invention, the setting unit for specifying the IPL device, the non-volatile memory (NVM) for storing the boot program of the expanded IPL device, and the IPL A display unit for prompting the user to specify an IPL device, and an input unit for specifying the IPL device. When the flag bit indicating the presence of the extended IPL device in the setting unit is valid, the nonvolatile memory (NVM) displays the IPL device name registered on the display unit, determines the loading device according to the instruction from the operator, and executes the corresponding initial program (boot program) on the nonvolatile memory (NVM). Or
The feature is that it is developed and executed on the main memory.

In the above-described embodiment, an example is described in which the name is displayed and visually checked to recognize the IPL device. However, the name is not necessarily required, and a code capable of visually identifying the IPL device can be used. If so, it goes without saying that it is good.

[0031]

As described above in detail, according to the IPL device specifying method of the present invention, when the setting of the IPL device by the non-volatile memory (NVM) is not performed, the conventional IPL device is set.
When operating in the environment of the L device and an extended IPL device is present, simply store the IPL device name and the corresponding boot program in the non-volatile memory (NVM).
It becomes possible to perform IPL from various IPL devices while maintaining compatibility with the conventional IPL device designation method.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the present invention (part 1).

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the present invention (part 2).

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the present invention (part 3).

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a conventional method of specifying an IPL device;

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 IPL device (floppy device, tape device) 2 Setting section {DIP switch (DIP SW) etc.) 3 ROM 4 IPL device display section (LCD or CRT) 5 IPL device designation section (keyboard, mouse) 6 Main storage device (RAM 7) Non-volatile memory (NVM) Flag bit indicating presence of extended IPL device NVM identifier Pointer area of non-volatile memory (NVM) Boot program pointer

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Shigeru Hashimoto 1015 Uedanaka, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside Fujitsu Limited (56) References JP-A-2-271452 (JP, A) JP-A-5-150996 (JP, A) JP-A-63-29861 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06F 9/445

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] At the time of initial program loading, a plurality of IPL devices (1) storing a program to be loaded, a setting unit (2) indicating whether the IPL device (1) is mounted, and a plurality of IPL devices. A display unit for displaying an identification code of the IPL device (1) and prompting the user to specify an IPL device;
(4) and one IPL out of the plurality of IPL devices (1).
An input means (5) for designating an L device (1), wherein the IPL device (1) performs an initial program loading by the designated IPL device (1). ), The extended IPL
When the device (1a) is added, the setting unit (2) is provided with a flag bit () indicating that the extended IPL device (1a) exists, and the setting unit (2) corresponds to the extended IPL device (1a). The nonvolatile memory (7) in which the identification code of the IPL device and the boot program are registered is provided, and when the flag bit () of the setting unit (2) is valid, the nonvolatile memory (7) is stored in the nonvolatile memory (7). The name of the registered extended IPL device (1a) is displayed on the display unit.
(4), the nonvolatile memory (7) corresponding to the IPL device (1a) specified by the input means (5).
A method for specifying an IPL device, wherein the boot program is executed to perform initial program loading. 2. An exclusive OR of all data corresponding to each boot program on the nonvolatile memory (7) or data corresponding to each IPL device (1) is "0", or , "1" is added and stored in the nonvolatile memory (7). Before executing the boot program in the nonvolatile memory (7), all data corresponding to the boot program are executed. An exclusive logical sum of data or data corresponding to each IPL device (1), comparing the data with the added data, and checking the validity of the boot program; Method. 3. An identifier () indicating whether data on the nonvolatile memory (7) is valid is provided in a predetermined area on the nonvolatile memory (7), and the identifier () is When indicating that the data in the nonvolatile memory (7) is valid, the identification code of the expanded IPL device (1) is read from the nonvolatile memory (7) and displayed on the display section (4). A method of specifying an IPL device. 4. The setting section (2) has a designation that a flag bit () indicating the presence of an extended IPL device is valid, and the identifier () on the nonvolatile memory (7) is replaced with the nonvolatile (7). When the data on the nonvolatile memory (7) is indicated to be invalid, or when a hardware error such as a parity error is detected when reading the data on the nonvolatile memory (7), A method of designating an IPL device, wherein an IPL device that performs fixed initial program loading is designated. 5. A pointer area () for designating the start addresses of all boot programs and data in a predetermined area on the nonvolatile memory (7), and the pointer area () of the pointer area () indicates all addresses. From the start address of the boot program, data indicating the identification code of the IPL device corresponding to each boot program, the start address of the boot program, and the capacity of the boot program are arranged, and from the address indicated by the pointer (), a predetermined boot is started. A method of designating an IPL device, comprising selecting data indicating an IPL device name, a boot program start address, and a boot program capacity corresponding to a program, and loading a predetermined boot program.