JPH0573465A - System for supporting peripheral equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the subject system provided with the mechanism capable of accessing a connected apparatus without necessitating a change and a new generation of a firmware, even if an apparatus having information being different from peripheral equipment information set to a ROM is connected to the system. CONSTITUTION:This system is provided with a nonvolatile memory 14 for setting other parameter than a parameter at the time of access, to a peripheral equipment which can be connected to the system set in a program copied to a RAM 13 from a ROM 12, and a CPU 11 for issuing a command at the time of initialization of the system, recognizing a fact that the peripheral equipment which cannot be connected to the system is connected by obtaining attribute data through a peripheral equipment controller, and executing a processing for substituting a parameter set in advance to the nonvolatile memory 14, and a processing for setting the parameter for this substitution to the nonvolatile memory 14.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a peripheral device supporting system suitable for use in a personal computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Advances in semiconductor technology have made it possible to supply microprocessors, memory LSIs, peripheral control LSIs, etc. at a very low cost.
It became possible to construct a relatively high performance personal computer by connecting appropriate peripheral devices. This kind of personal computer has a system R which is a main memory.
Industry standard operating system (OS) in AM
And an application package such as a word processor or spreadsheet software, and a ROM
It stores a system program called BIOS (basic input / output control system) for controlling various peripheral devices such as keyboard, display, hard disk, etc. connected inside, and the built-in microprocessor sequentially reads and executes these programs. By doing so, the functions of the application package, that is, document creation, spreadsheet, etc. are realized.

By the way, in order to connect a hard disk (HDD) to the above-mentioned personal computer and access and operate this hard disk, the parameters necessary for access are previously incorporated in the firmware, and the information is used as a basis. Processing, such as read / write or format.

[0004]

When a hard disk device that does not match the hard disk information set in the built-in firmware is connected to the above personal computer, the hard disk cannot be accessed. In order to access this hard disk normally, create a dedicated firmware,
ROM replacement required. Today, with the emergence of various types of hard disks, there has been a demand for system construction with high flexibility and expandability.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and even if a hard disk having information different from the hard disk information preset in the firmware is connected, it is necessary to change the firmware or create new firmware. It is an object of the present invention to provide a support method for a peripheral device that builds an environment in which a hard disk can be accessed without a need.

[0006]

According to the present invention, a personal computer equipped with a peripheral device controller capable of returning a parameter of a peripheral device required for access to a system by executing a certain command is stored in a ROM. Parameters other than the hardware circuit for copying the stored program to the RAM and executing the program and the parameter for accessing the peripheral device connectable to the system set in the program are set. When the initialization of the non-volatile memory and the system is performed, the above command is issued and the attribute data is obtained via the peripheral device controller to recognize that the peripheral device that cannot be connected to the system is connected, and is preset in the non-volatile memory. Of the parameter substitution in the above program that replaces the specified parameter First means fit, characterized in that it comprises a second means for preferences in the program for setting the parameters for this replacement in the nonvolatile memory.

[0007]

The basic firmware of a personal computer is usually supplied in ROM, but the present invention uses this R
Copy the OM firmware to RAM, as if RO
Provide hardware that looks like the M firmware is working. In addition, a nonvolatile memory is provided in which the stored contents are not lost even when the power is turned off. The ROM firmware stores information for accessing a hard disk that can be connected to the system, but the personal computer is powered on.
At the time of initialization from (ON) to booting of the operating system, this information is rewritten with the information in the nonvolatile memory. A program for setting the data for this rewriting in the nonvolatile memory is prepared in advance in the ROM firmware. By this,
Even hard disks other than connectable hard disks that have been set in ROM firmware in advance can be connected to any hardware, and any hard disk can be used as long as the access processing is compatible. It will be possible to connect to and access to, and it will be possible to construct a system with high flexibility and expandability.

[0008]

1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 11 is a microprocessor (CPU)
That is, the program stored in the ROM / RAM described later is read and executed.

A system ROM 12 stores basic firmware for controlling a personal computer and parameter information necessary for accessing the hard disk. In connection with the present invention, an initialization processing program 16 and a device setting processing program 17
Is memorized. The former initialization processing program 16 is a program for initializing the hardware constituting the personal computer, and the logic details thereof are shown in the flow chart of FIG. The latter device setting processing program 17 is a program for setting hardware, and its logic details are shown in a flowchart in FIG. Reference numeral 13 is a RAM, and the information in the ROM 12 is copied and stored in order to operate the firmware stored in the ROM 12 at high speed. Reference numeral 14 is a non-volatile memory. This non-volatile memory 14
In, information for accessing the hard disk is set and stored.

Reference numeral 15 is a hard disk controller (HD
C), and the connected hard disk device (HDD)
It controls the data access to and from, and also controls the interface with the system.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are respectively cited to explain the operation of the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing a process for obtaining HDD information in the device setting process, and FIG. The flowchart which shows the operation | movement in initialization processing is shown.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 21 denotes a step for sending a command, which is an IDENTIFY to the HDC 15.
Issue the command. Reference numeral 22 is a step of reading information of the HDD, which reads response data to the above command issued to the HDC 15. 23 is an HDD
Is the step of searching for the type of
Based on the information obtained by the Y command, it is checked whether the HDD is supported by the system. 24 is H
This is a step of storing the information of the DD, and stores the information necessary when an unsupported HDD is connected to the system. Reference numeral 25 is a step of setting the HDD type, and sets which type the connected HDD is in the non-volatile memory 14.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 31 denotes a step for executing hardware initialization, which sets each hardware constituting the personal computer based on the information set by the device setting processing program 17. Reference numeral 32 is a step for checking the ROM copy, and the RAM 1 is used to operate the ROM firmware 12 at high speed.
Check whether to copy the firmware onto 3. 33 is a step of reading the information of the HDD,
In the device setting processing program, the nonvolatile memory 14
Read the data set in. Reference numeral 34 is a step for setting information of the HDD, and the data read from the nonvolatile memory 14 is copied to a part of the HDD parameter table of the firmware copied on the RAM 13.
The operation of the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS.

When an HDD different from the HDD that is normally connected to the system is connected, a dedicated setting process must be performed and the system must be reconfigured because the device configuration of the system has been changed. This dedicated setting process is called setup.

Specifically, first, the connected HDD
ID to HDC15 to know the type (model) of
Issue the ENTIFY command. Information such as the number of heads and the number of cylinders of the HDD connected via the HDC 15 is received by the IDENTIFY command. Based on this information, the setup program checks whether the HDD can be connected as a system. Here, the HDD connectable as a system means that the parameter information necessary for accessing the HDD is set in the system firmware stored in the ROM 12 in advance.

According to the above check, if the HDD is connectable to the system, the HDD type is set in the non-volatile memory 14 and the process is terminated. However, if an HDD that is not supported by the system is connected, that is, if the parameter information does not match, IDENTI
Of the information obtained from the FY command, the parameters necessary for accessing the HDD are set in the non-volatile memory 14, the type information as an unknown HDD is set in the non-volatile memory 14, and the process ends.

After the power is turned on, the system firmware is
Initialize the system firmware and run the program to run the system firmware at high speed.
Copy on AM13. This setting can also be selected in the setup.

Next, it is checked whether or not it is set to copy to the RAM 13, and if it is specified, the copy processing is performed, and then the HDD set in the non-volatile memory 14 in the setup is set. Copy the parameters to a portion of the system firmware HDD parameter table.

The copying from the non-volatile memory 14 is always performed even if the connected HDD can support in advance. The system firmware needs to set the area to be copied in advance in a part of the parameter table of the HDD.

By performing the above processing, even if an HDD that is not supported as a system is connected, the processing can proceed as if the parameters necessary for access were set from the beginning. That is, when the system firmware accesses the HDD, the HD stored in the non-volatile memory 14 is used.
The actual access is performed by referring to the HDD parameter table based on the type information of D.

As a result, HD that is not supported
D can also be supported by setting the corresponding HDD type in the nonvolatile memory 14 and setting the corresponding parameter in the table.

Note that the present invention is not limited to HDDs that require parameters for access, such as HDDs, and peripherals in which this parameter information can be obtained by some processing without defining parameters in advance. Any type of device can be supported as in the HDD of the embodiment of the present invention.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention, even a hard disk that is connectable in advance, which is set in the ROM firmware in advance, can be connected by hardware, and the access processing can be performed. As long as they are compatible, any hearted disk will be able to connect and access the system. This makes it possible to construct a system with high flexibility and expandability.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for obtaining HDD information in the device setting processing, for explaining the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for initialization for explaining the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 ... Microprocessor (CPU), 12 ... System ROM, 13 ... RAM, 14 ... Non-volatile memory, 15 ...
Hard disk controller (HDC), 16 ... Initialization processing program, 17 ... Equipment setting processing program.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a personal computer having a peripheral device controller capable of returning to the system the parameters of the peripheral device necessary for access by executing a command, the program stored in ROM is copied to RAM. A hardware circuit that executes this program, a non-volatile memory that sets parameters other than the parameters used when accessing the peripheral devices that can be connected to the system that are set in the program, and the initial system At the time of realization, the above command is issued and the attribute data is obtained via the peripheral device controller to recognize that a peripheral device that cannot be connected to the system is connected, and replaces it with the parameter preset in the non-volatile memory. First means for parameter substitution in the program And a second means for setting an environment in the program for setting a parameter for the replacement in the non-volatile memory.