JPH02162580A - Diagnostic system for file storage device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize diagnosis for the function of an error detecting mechanism by changing the type of an error correction code, which is handled by the data error detecting mechanism, for the time of data writing and the time of data reading. CONSTITUTION:When the function of a first error correction code detecting circuit 4, for example, is diagnosed in correspondence to an instruction from an external part, an operation mode control circuit 8 writes data according to a second error correction code. For the data, the second error correction code is added by a second error correction code generating circuit 3 and the data written to a file storing medium 11. Next, the circuit instructs an operation mode is changed to the first error correction code mode. The data due to the second error correction code on the medium 11 are read by a control circuit 13 and analyzed and error detection and correction is executed by the first error correction code detecting circuit 4. Thus, when the second error correction code is handled as the first error correction code and the error detection is executed, the detection of the data error can be efficiently executed in the case that the respective function of the file storing medium and the first and second error correction code detecting circuits is normal.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] This invention relates to a data error detection mechanism of a file storage device and a method for diagnosing a file storage medium, and in particular, CRC
This invention relates to a method for diagnosing the functions of a file storage device such as a hard disk drive, which can operate by selecting one from a plurality of different error correction codes such as ECC.

The object of the present invention is to provide a means for easily performing functional diagnosis of a data error detection mechanism in a file storage device at any time.

In a file storage device having a data error detection mechanism that can select and execute any one of a plurality of predetermined error correction code formats.

Select one of the above plurality of error correction code formats and write data, and then change the error correction code format to another one of the above plurality of error correction code formats and write the data. The system is configured to read the written data and determine whether the function of the file storage device is normal or abnormal depending on whether or not a data error is detected at that time.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a data error detection mechanism for a file storage device and a method for diagnosing a file storage medium.
In particular, the present invention relates to a method for diagnosing the functions of a file storage device such as a hard disk drive that can operate by selecting one of a plurality of different error correction codes such as CRC and ECC.

[Conventional technology]

In general, file storage devices are equipped with a data error detection mechanism using error correction codes to detect and correct errors in order to improve the reliability of stored data. For example, some hard disk drives use CRC (cyclic redundancy check) and ECC
(error correcting code) method can be selectively used by switching the operation mode.

In a file storage device equipped with such a data error detection mechanism, when writing data to a file storage medium, an error correction code is created and written based on the written data, and when data is read, an error correction code is created and written based on the read error correction code. Detects and corrects errors.

However, since a failure may occur in the data error detection mechanism itself and the data error detection function is impaired, it is desirable to be able to diagnose the function of the data error detection mechanism.

On the other hand, since the file storage device has the above-mentioned mechanism, it is difficult to intentionally write error data into the file storage medium from the outside.

For this reason, conventionally, special methods such as using physically damaged file storage media have not been used.

The function of the data error detection mechanism was not actively diagnosed using error data, and the function of the data error detection mechanism was only diagnosed as normal when an error was reported during operation.

Therefore, proactive diagnosis was not possible unless a data error occurred during operation.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide means that can easily perform functional diagnosis of a data error detection mechanism in a file storage device at any time.

[Means to solve the problem]

The present invention provides a file storage device equipped with a data error checking mechanism that can selectively use different error correction codes, by changing the type of error correction code handled by the data error checking mechanism between data writing and data reading. This method creates a situation that is easily recognized as a data error, and diagnoses the function of the data error detection mechanism from the contents of the error report based on the result.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the principle of the present invention, illustrating the case where two types of error correction codes, first and second, are used. In FIG.

1 is a file storage control device.

2 is a 5-first error correction code generation circuit.

3 is a second error correction code generation circuit.

4 is a first error correction code detection circuit.

5 is a second error correction code detection circuit.

6.7 is a selector.

8 is an operation mode control circuit.

9 is a status register.

IO is a file storage medium drive device.

11 is a file storage medium.

12 is a write control circuit.

13 is a read control circuit.

The operation mode control circuit 8 sets the operation mode to either the first error correction code mode or the second error correction code mode in response to an external instruction, and selectively controls the selector 6.7. . As a result, the selectors 6, 7 each select the a side in the first error correction code mode, and select the b side in the second error correction code mode.

In the first error correction code mode, the first error correction code generation circuit 2 creates a first error correction code based on the input write data.

Output to the write control circuit 12. Further, the first error correction code detection circuit 4 analyzes the first error correction code of the read data output from the read control circuit 13,
Performs error detection and error correction.

In the case of the second error correction code mode, the second error correction code generation circuit 3 and the second error correction code detection circuit 5 perform the same operation as in the first error correction code mode. This is done for correction codes.

When the first error correction code detection circuit 4 or the second error correction code detection circuit 5 detects an uncorrectable error during operation, it sets error status information in the status register 9 and reports the error to the CPU. .

[Effect]

In FIG. 1, when diagnosing the function of the first error correction code detection circuit 4, first instruct the operation/mode control circuit 8 to set the second error correction code mode, and then set the second error correction code mode. Write data using .

The input write data is added with a second error correction code by the second error correction code generation circuit 3 which is enabled in the second error correction code mode, and then sent to the file storage medium via the write control circuit 12. 11.

Next, the operation mode control circuit 8 is instructed to change the operation mode to the first error correction code mode.

Here, data based on the second error correction code on the file storage medium 11 is read out by the readout control circuit 13, and the first error correction code detection circuit 4 which is enabled at this time
Error detection and error correction is performed.

For example, if the second error correction code is treated as the first error correction code and error detection is performed, if the file storage medium 11 is not faulty and the second error correction code generation circuit 3 and the first error correction code detection circuit 4 If each function is normal, uncorrectable data errors should be detected at a high rate.

If the rate of uncorrectable data errors being reported at this time is low, it can be diagnosed that some kind of abnormality exists in the file storage device.

When diagnosing the second error correction code detection circuit 5, the operation mode can be similarly switched between writing and reading, and the diagnosis can be made from the error detection status at that time.

〔Example〕

FIG. 2 shows the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 shows the flow of diagnostic processing.

In FIG. 2, 21 is a CPU, 22 is a main memory MS
, 23 is a hard disk controller HDC.

24 is a CRC generation circuit, and 25 is an ECC generation circuit.

26 is a CRC detection circuit, and 27 is an ECC detection circuit.

28 is an operation mode control circuit, 29 is a status register, 30 is a disk drive, and 31 is a CRC mode record. The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 will be described below in accordance with the flow shown in FIG.

The CPU 21 sends a mode setting command to the HDC 23 to cause the operation mode control circuit 28 to set an operation mode of CRC mode or ECC mode. Further, writing and reading of data is instructed by a write command or a read command. Therefore, in the following description, for convenience, writing and reading data based on write commands and read commands will be expressed as write and read.

The HDC 23 reads data read from the MS 22 when writing data using a write command.

The generated CRC or ECC code is input to the CRC generation circuit 24 or ECC generation circuit that is enabled depending on the operating mode set at that time, and is added to the data to create a record and send it to the disk drive 30. . The disk drive 30 seeks the sector of the hard disk to be tested and writes a record to the hard disk.

The example record shown in the figure shows the result of writing data in CRC mode, and includes an ID section.

It consists of a data section and a CRC.

When diagnosing the ECC detection circuit 27, data written in the CRC mode is read in the ECC mode as shown in the example shown in FIG. For this reason, the CPU 21 instructs the HDC 23 to set the ECC mode using a mode setting command,
ECC detection circuit 27 is enabled.

After setting the mode, the HDC 23 instructs the disk drive 30 to seek a track and read a record in response to a read command from the CPU 2L.

The ECC detection circuit 27 generates an FCC code from the data portion of the record read by the disk drive 30, and performs error detection by comparing this code with the CRC code of the read record.

If the data is determined to be normal, it is written to the MS22, and if it is a correctable error (usually a 1-bit error), it is corrected and written to the MS22.

If an uncorrectable error is detected, status register 2
Error status information is set in 9, the error is reported to the CPU 21, and the error processing is performed.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, the data error detection mechanism of a file storage device can be easily diagnosed without the need to use a defective file storage medium, and can be automated using a diagnostic program, thereby eliminating the need to increase the burden. However, the reliability of the file storage device can be significantly improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the principle of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart of diagnostic processing according to the embodiment of the present invention. In Figure 1. 1: File storage control device 2: First error correction code generation circuit 3: Second error correction code generation circuit 4: First error correction code detection circuit 5: Second error correction code detection circuit 8: Operation mode Control circuit 9: Status register IO: File storage medium drive device 11: File storage medium patent applicant: BFNY Co., Ltd. Agent: Patent attorney: Fumihiro Hase (2 others), F. Mokuto
3AQ Theory Explanator Diagram 1

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a file storage device that has a data error detection mechanism that can specify and execute any one of a plurality of predetermined error correction code formats, one of the plurality of error correction code formats is selected. Then, the error correction code format is changed to another one of the plurality of error correction code formats and the written data is read. A method for diagnosing a file storage device, characterized in that whether the function of the file storage device is normal or abnormal is determined based on whether or not the function of the file storage device is normal or abnormal.