JPH07234833A - Automatic incorporating method for device driver for card - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a device driver for card from illegally occupying a main memory and to save the trouble of an end user who installs the device driver. CONSTITUTION:A CPU 1 makes the user register a hot key according to a program 21 residing on the main memory 2 at a start time and it is checked whether or not a PC card 6 is inserted into a slot 7 in response to hot key input, and when the card is inserted, the attribute information on the card 6 is read in and a correspondence table 52 is referred to one the basis of the article code in the information to specify the device driver corresponding to the card 6, thereby recognizing its format and file name. The CPU 1 loads the driver in a device driver group 54 into the main memory 2 when the specified device driver is in an executive form, or registers the driver in a file 53 for environmental setting while leaving a backup file of the contents of the current file 53 for environmental setting when the driver is a built-in type, and the CPU 1 is rebooted.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus having a card slot for mounting a card such as a memory card or an I / O card conforming to a predetermined standard as a standard equipment or an external device. The present invention relates to a card device driver automatic installation method for automatically installing a device driver for a card inserted in the slot into a system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an HDD (hard disk drive) has been widely used as an external storage device of information processing equipment such as a workstation and a personal computer. In addition, recently, as an external storage device replacing the HDD, although gradually, JEIDA (Japan Electronic Industry Developm
ent Association) and PCM, an American standardization organization
CIA (Personal Computer Memory Card Internationa)
A device equipped with a slot for a card (memory card, I / O card, etc.) called a PC card standardized by the Association and an external PC card is beginning to be used.

The background behind the spread of PC cards is as follows. First, the HDD has been widely used as a large-capacity storage device instead of a storage device having a small capacity such as an FDD (floppy disk drive).
However, in recent years, information processing devices have become smaller and more portable, and therefore, problems have arisen with respect to the shock resistance of HDDs.

Therefore, recently, the problem of the above-mentioned HDD is compensated by using a PC card, and the problem is solved. Further, since the PC card is highly portable, it handles a file having a larger capacity than an FD (floppy disk) and is convenient for moving and carrying between terminals.

[0005]

As described above, since the PC card is standardized by JEIDA / PCMCIA, industry standards such as physical shape, electrical characteristics and pin assignment regarding the card have been established. Furthermore, device drivers (card service, socket service, etc.) for handling PC cards have also been standardized. Card Services is a software interface for managing system resources such as memory space, I / O (input / output) space used by PC cards, and interrupt levels. Socket Services is a lower layer of Card Services. , A software interface for controlling the PC card controller LSI.

In addition, it is expected that many information processing apparatuses will be available in which a PC card conforming to the standard is prepared and a PC card slot capable of reading the PC card is provided as standard equipment. An advantage of standardization is that a PC card provided by one manufacturer can be used in an information processing device provided by another manufacturer.

The problem here is that, in addition to the above-mentioned two device drivers, the card service and the socket service, the manufacturer who commercialized the PC card sells the company's own PC card device driver as a set. This is the case.

In such a case, it is necessary to have as many device drivers as PC cards that can be handled (sold and have unique device drivers) in one information processing device. Moreover, if the device drivers are all installed when the information processing device is started up, that is, if the software that implements the device drivers is all loaded in the main memory, There is a risk that wasteful use of this area will increase.

The same applies to the two standardized device drivers. That is, conventionally, it was necessary to install a device driver according to the PC card used by the user, and it was necessary to set the environment each time.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to incorporate a device driver corresponding to a card conforming to a predetermined standard when it is recognized that the card is inserted. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic assembling method of a card device driver that can prevent the main memory area in the information processing device from being wasted.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for automatically incorporating a device driver for a card which can automatically incorporate the device driver for a card and can save the end user the trouble of setting the environment. is there.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method for automatically incorporating a card device driver capable of automatically returning the environmental settings in the information processing device to the original form when the card is removed from the card slot. To provide.

[0013]

A method of automatically incorporating a card device driver according to a first aspect of the present invention is specially provided at the initial stage of an information processing device having a card slot as a standard equipment or an external device. The first step of monitoring whether a card is inserted in the slot when the assigned key is input, and the attribute that the card has when detecting that the card is inserted in the slot Correspondence that describes the second step of reading information and the correspondence between various cards that conform to a predetermined standard that can be used in the above information processing equipment and the device driver for the card, based on the read attribute information The third slot for identifying the card inserted in the slot by referring to the information and determining the device driver to be installed in the information processing device And-up, is characterized in that a fourth step of loading the determined device driver in the main memory of the information processing apparatus.

In the above configuration, for example, after inserting a card conforming to a predetermined standard that the user intends to use into the card slot of the information processing device, the device driver for the card is automatically installed in the information processing device. When a key specially assigned is input in the initial stage of the information processing device to be incorporated, the first step is performed and it is detected that the card is inserted in the card slot. . In this case, the attribute information of the card inserted in the card slot is read in the next second step, and the information for identifying the card in the attribute information is read in the next third step. Corresponding information in the form of, for example, a data file is referred to by (product code, product version, card official name, etc.). This correspondence information indicates the correspondence relationship between the identification information of each type of card that can be used in the information processing device and the device driver (file name, etc.) for the card. It becomes possible to identify the card inserted in the slot and determine the device driver to be incorporated. As a result, in the next fourth step, the determined device driver can be loaded into the main memory.

As the format for incorporating the device driver into the information processing equipment (system), the first format (execution format) that can be incorporated without the need for restart (reboot) and the environment setting file are registered. A second format (embedded format) that can be incorporated by restarting is applicable.

Therefore, in the card device driver automatic embedding method according to the second aspect of the present invention, in the correspondence information, the device driver format can be incorporated without restarting the first format or re-embedding. It also has information indicating which of the second formats cannot be incorporated unless it is started,
It is possible to identify whether the device driver format determined in the third step is the first format (execution format) or the second format (embedded format).

In this automatic incorporation method, if the device driver format determined in the third step is the first format, the device driver is immediately loaded into the main memory as it is (fourth step). On the other hand, if the format of the device driver determined in the third step is the second format, the copy of the environment setting file at that time will restore the environment setting in the information processing device to its original form. The device driver is stored in the environment setting file as a backup file so that it can be used, and then the system is rebooted (fifth step). By this restart, the device driver registered in the environment setting file is loaded into the main memory.

In the method of automatically incorporating a card device driver according to the second aspect of the present invention, a sixth method for monitoring whether or not the card is removed from the slot while the device driver is incorporated is further provided. Steps,
If it is detected in the sixth step that the card has been removed, a seventh step for returning the environment setting in the information processing device to the original form is provided. In this seventh step, if the format of the device driver for the removed card is the second format, the contents of the environment setting file are the backup files left when registering this device driver. Will restore it to its original state, and after that, the system will be restarted. This eliminates the need to reopen and reconfigure the environment settings file when the system is reset.

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an information processing device to which the method for automatically incorporating a card device driver according to the present invention is applied.

This information processing apparatus includes a CPU 1 which is a control center of the apparatus, a main memory 2 in which various programs and data are stored, a display device 3, a keyboard 4 as an input means, an external storage device 5 such as an HDD, and a predetermined device. A card compliant with the standard, for example, a PC card slot 7 into which a PC card 6 compliant with the JEIDA / PCMCI standard is inserted,
And a known hardware configuration such as the bus 8. A CPU 1, a main memory 2, a display device 3, a keyboard 4, an external storage device 5 and a PC card slot 7 are connected to the bus 8. In the example of FIG. 1, a PC
The card slot 7 is provided as standard equipment, but may be an external equipment.

The PC card 6 is a CIS (CaS) that includes the type, capacity, product version, product code, etc. of the card 6.
rd Information Structure) has attribute information. In the external storage device 5, in order to set an operating environment for a program (automatic embedding program) 51 for automatically incorporating a PC card device driver, a PC card-device driver correspondence table 52, and an OS (operating system) not shown. The environment setting file 53 and the PC card device driver group 54 are stored. PC on this external storage device 5
The card device driver group 54 is a location that is always referred to by the OS (without causing an error) when the target file does not exist in the currently selected directory (current directory), that is, a location through which the path (PATH) passes. It is located in

The PC card-device driver correspondence table (hereinafter, simply referred to as correspondence table) 52 is for various PC cards and their PC cards and exists in the external storage device 5 (in the device driver group 54). ) This is a file (data file) that describes the correspondence between device drivers. The correspondence table 52 is created by a user in a predetermined format using, for example, an etita, and the automatic installation program 51 in the external storage device 5 is resident in the main memory 2 as the automatic installation program 21. Is placed in a location referred to (called) by the program 21.

FIG. 2 schematically shows an example of the data structure of the correspondence table 52. In the example of FIG. 2, the type A PC card 6
The (memory card) corresponds to the device driver A, the type B PC card 6 (I / O card) corresponds to the device driver B, and the type C PC card 6 (memory card) corresponds to the device driver B and the device driver C. It is shown that it corresponds to.

In the correspondence table 52 of FIG. 2, characters are schematically used for easy understanding, but in practice, for example, a product code for specifying the PC card 6,
The file name of the device driver and the symbol indicating the device driver format (execution format or embedded format) are set. Here, if it is a form to be incorporated (second form),
That is, if the corresponding device driver (file name thereof) is written in the environment setting file 53 and can be incorporated by restarting, the notation method (file name + option) applied to the file 53 is Is set. On the other hand, if it is the execution format (first format), that is, if it can be incorporated without restarting, only the file name of the device driver is set.

When a plurality of device drivers correspond to one PC card as in the case of the PC card 6 of type C, the number assigned to the device driver and the priority at the time of incorporation are given. The rank P is set. Note that the arrow indicating the correspondence in FIG. 2 does not actually exist.

Next, the operation of one embodiment of the present invention will be described with respect to automatic installation of a device driver for PC card, in which a card service and a socket service (both not shown) that are standardized device drivers are installed. Will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 3 to 5.

First, when the OS (operating system) is loaded from the external storage device 5 to the main memory 2 when the information processing device of FIG.
The PU 1 refers to the environment setting file 53 according to the OS (operating system), and
Set the environment (including program loading) indicated by the registration contents of.

Further, the CPU 1 makes the automatic installation program 51 stored in the external storage device 5 resident in the main memory 2 as the automatic installation program 21. At that time, the CPU 1 confirms that the PC card 6 is inserted into the PC card slot 7 by the program 2 for the automatic incorporation.
A message for requesting the user to register the setting of a detection key (hereinafter referred to as a hot key) for detection according to 1 is displayed on the display device 3, and the hot key is selected from the keyboard 4 by the user operation. Then, the setting is registered (step S1). It is good to assign the hot keys that are rarely input in the normal state. Note that the hot key does not necessarily have to be one key, and may be a combination of a plurality of keys.

The CPU 1 carries out the following operations according to the automatic assembling program 21 resident in the main memory 2. Note that this automatic installation program 21 is located between the OS and the device driver installed in the information processing device for the PC card 6 in terms of software configuration,
It takes the form of managing the layers lower than itself.

First, the CPU 1 monitors whether or not the hot key set and registered in step S1 has been input (step S2). If a hotkey is entered,
The CPU 1 checks whether or not any PC card 6 is inserted in the PC card slot 7 through, for example, a card service (a card insertion / removal detection function of the card service) incorporated in advance (step S3). Of course, P
Whether the C card 6 is inserted or not is directly determined by the PC card slot 7
It is also possible to check through.

If the PC card 6 is inserted (inserted), the CPU 1 reads the attribute information (CIS) possessed by the PC card 6 to determine the type of the card 6,
Information that characterizes the card 6 (necessary for incorporating the device driver) such as the capacity and the product code is obtained (step S4).

Next, the CPU 1 checks whether the attribute information (CIS) of the PC card 6 has been read normally (step S5). If the attribute information can be read normally, the CPU 1 refers to the correspondence table 52, and based on, for example, the product code obtained from the read attribute information, the PC card 6 having the product code, that is, the PC.
It is checked whether the PC card 6 inserted in the card slot 7 can be identified, and whether the identified device driver for the PC card 6 exists in the external storage device 5 (where the path passes) ( Steps S6 and S7).

If the PC card 6 inserted in the PC card slot 7 cannot be specified, or even if it can be specified, if the device driver for the PC card 6 does not exist, the CPU 1 tells the display device 3. Then, an error display to that effect is performed (step S8), and the process returns to step S2.

On the other hand, the PC card 6 inserted in the PC card slot 7 can be specified, and the PC
CP if device driver for card 6 exists
U1 performs the following processing.

First, the CPU 1 identifies the identified PC card 6
If there is only one device driver for, the device driver with the highest priority P (here, the device driver with P = 1) if there is more than one is the execution form, or It is checked from the correspondence table 52 whether or not it is a form to be incorporated when the information processing device is activated (step S9).

If the device driver is in the executable format, that is, if it can be incorporated without restarting, the CPU 1 determines whether the file name of the device driver and whether to load the device driver. A message for asking the user for confirmation is displayed on the display device 3.
Is displayed (steps S10 and S11).

On the other hand, if the device driver is not in the executable format (incorporating form), the file name of the device driver and a message for requesting the user to confirm whether to install the device driver are displayed. It is displayed on the device 3 (steps S10 and S12).

Here, it is assumed that the user operates the keyboard 4 (or a mouse (not shown)) to instruct loading (in the case of the execution form) or incorporation (in the case of the incorporation form) of the device driver.

Then, the CPU 1 loads the device driver (in the device driver group 54), which is placed at a path through the path, from the external storage device 5 into the main memory 2 if the device driver is in the execution format. (Steps S13 and S14). The loading process here is performed promptly because the target device driver is placed at a location through which the path passes. The correspondence table 52
Instead of arranging the device driver group 54 managed by the above in a location where the path passes, a path name indicating the path in which the device driver group 54 is disposed is added to the correspondence table 52, and the purpose is set according to this path name. It is also possible to quickly search for a device driver to be used.

As described above, when the executable device driver is loaded into the main memory 2, the automatic installation process of the device driver according to the automatic installation program 21 ends. After that, as will be described later, the process shifts to a process of periodically monitoring whether or not the PC card slot 7 is removed from the PC card 6.

On the other hand, if the device driver is built in, the CPU 1 opens the environment setting file 53 stored in the external storage device 5, and the file name (file name of the device driver is stored in this file 53). )
Is registered (steps S13 and S15). At this time, CP
U1 leaves a copy of the contents of the environment setting file 53 before updating (device driver registration) as a backup file (not shown).

After registering the device driver in the environment setting file 53, the CPU 1 displays a message on the display device 3 for requesting the user to confirm whether to restart (software reboot, software reset) by internal processing. It is displayed (step S16).

If the user operates the keyboard 4 (or a mouse (not shown)) to instruct restart, the CP
U1 reboots (reboots or resets) through, for example, the OS (steps S17 and S18). This restarts. At this time, since the device driver (file name of) corresponding to the PC card 6 inserted in the PC card slot 7 is registered in the environment setting file 53, this device driver is mainly stored in the external storage device 5. It is loaded into the memory 2 and incorporated in the system. In this way, the automatic installation program 2
The device driver automatic installation process according to 1 ends. After that, from PC card 6 to PC card slot 7
The process shifts to a process for periodically monitoring whether or not the

On the other hand, if the user instructs not to restart, the CPU 1 writes the contents of the environment setting file 53 back to the original state by the backup file left in step S14. (Step S19), and an error display to that effect is displayed (Step S19).
8) and returns to the process of step S2.

Further, step S11 or step S1
After the step 2, if the user instructs not to load or install the device driver shown in the step, the CPU 1 determines the next (for the PC card 6 that can be specified based on the correspondence table 52). Priority P)
It is checked whether or not the device driver exists (step S20).

If the next device driver does not exist, the CPU 1 displays an error to that effect (step S8) and returns to the processing of step S2. On the contrary,
If the next device driver exists, the CPU 1 returns to the process of step S9.

Next, the operation when the attribute information cannot be read normally will be described. CPU1 is step S5
If it is determined that the attribute information (CIS) of the PC card 6 cannot be read normally (attribute information read error), it is checked whether or not the cause is a hardware error (step S21). ).

When the CPU 1 determines that a read error of attribute information has occurred due to a hardware error,
When reading the attribute information, a message is created to notify that there is a problem with the PC card 6, the PC card slot 7, or the information processing device (step S22), and the display device 3 is displayed.
(Step S8).

When it is determined that an attribute information read error has occurred due to a factor other than a hardware error, the CPU 1 clearly indicates that the PC card 6 itself has no attribute information, and the CPU 1 automatically installs the attribute information. A message notifying that the program 21 cannot be executed is created (step S23) and displayed on the display device 3 (step S8).

Next, the CPU according to the automatic assembling program 21 after the device driver is loaded or incorporated.
The operation 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, when the PC card 6 is removed from the PC card slot 7 to the function of the card service of the two standardized device drivers of the card service and socket service installed in the information processing equipment. There is a method of returning a specific code indicating that to a certain device driver (for example, a device driver for detecting insertion / removal of the PC card 6 and outputting a beep sound).

In the present embodiment, the CPU 1 monitors whether or not the specific code is returned from the card service, for example, at regular time intervals according to the automatic assembling program 21 (step S31). If the specific code is returned, the CPU 1 determines that the PC card 6 has been removed from the PC card slot 7 (step S32), and starts the processing for removing the PC card described below. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which an interrupt is generated when a specific code is returned from the card service, control is passed to the automatic embedding program 21, and the processing when the PC card is removed is executed.

When the CPU 1 determines that the PC card 6 is removed from the PC card slot 7, whether the device driver for the PC card 6 is incorporated in the execution format or the incorporation format. Is checked (steps S33, S34).

In the case of the device driver loaded in the executable format, the CPU 1 inquires of the user whether the memory area allocated to the main memory 2 for the device driver can be released, and the release It is confirmed whether or not it is possible (step S35). Here, whether or not the release is possible can be known in advance by the user, for example, from the specifications of the target device driver (whether or not it has a processing function for releasing the memory).

If releasable, CPU1
Displays a message for asking the user to confirm whether or not to release the memory area on the display device 3 (step S36).

If the user operates the keyboard 4 (or a mouse (not shown)) to instruct the release of the memory area (step S37), the CPU 1 determines, for example, a target device driver (for PC card). By the memory release function of the device driver installed in the execution format corresponding to the PC card 6 removed from the slot 7,
After the memory area to which the driver is allocated is released, the processing is ended. After that, the process returns to the beginning of the automatic embedding program 21 (the process of step S1 in FIG. 3).
The process may return to step S2.

On the other hand, when it is instructed not to release the memory area (step S37), or when it is confirmed that the memory area cannot be released in step S35, the CPU 1 A message for requesting the user to confirm whether to return to the original environment (restart the system) by restarting (rebooting) is displayed on the display device 3 (step S38).

If the user gives a restart instruction, the CPU 1 restarts the OS, for example, through the OS (steps S39 and S40). This restarts. On the other hand, if it is instructed not to restart, the process is terminated, and the process returns to the head of the program 21 for automatic incorporation (the process of step S1 in FIG. 3).

Next, when it is determined in step S34 that the device driver is not the executable device driver, that is, the device driver installed by restarting, the CPU 1 determines the environment setting file 53 as the source. A message is displayed on the display device 3 for requesting the user to confirm whether to return to the state of No. 1 and restart the computer (step S41).

Here, the user selects the environment setting file 53.
If it is instructed to return to the original state and restart (step S42), the CPU 1 restores the contents of the environment setting file 53 to the original state (the original state by the backup file left in step S14). After writing back to the environment setting (step S43), the system is restarted through the OS (step S40). In this case, even if the user resets the system and the system is reset,
There is no need to open the environment setting file 53 with an editor or the like and re-install it.

On the other hand, if it is instructed not to restart (step S42), the CPU 1 terminates the process and returns to the head of the automatic assembling program 21. Although the correspondence table 52 is described as a data file in the above embodiment, the automatic assembling program 21 (5
It may be preset in 1).
However, since the data file can be managed by the user and can be rewritten arbitrarily by the user, especially considering that the PC card will be commercialized in various forms in the future,
It is convenient.

Further, in the above embodiment, the correspondence table 52
Describes that the product code in the attribute information of the PC card is set as the information for specifying the PC card 6, but it is included in the attribute information.
Other information such as the product version may be used as long as the information is unique to the PC card 6. if,
When applying the product version, when the attribute information is read from the PC card 6, the correspondence table 52 may be referred to by the product version in the attribute information.

Further, in the above embodiment, the automatic installation of the PC card device driver in the information processing equipment (system) in which the standardized driver set (card service, socket service, etc.) is installed in advance has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this.
In the information processing equipment in which the above-mentioned standardized driver set is not incorporated, the standardized driver and P
It can also be applied to the automatic incorporation of a C card device driver. However, in order to do so, one of the standardized driver sets, for example, the card service of the socket service and the card service of the socket service, should be provided between steps S2 and S3 in FIG. By calling, it is checked whether the card service (including the standardized driver set including) is included, and when it is detected that the standardized driver set including the card service is not included. To add this standardized set of drivers into the system.
In this case, in the process of step S3, when it is detected that the standardized driver set including Card Services is installed, it is determined that the standardized driver set is not installed after the detection. If detected, each may be done after this standardized driver set has been installed.

Further, the present invention is not limited to the automatic incorporation of the device driver for the PC card conforming to the JEIDA / PCMCI standard, but for mounting a card such as a memory card or an I / O card conforming to a predetermined standard. It can be applied to automatic incorporation of a card device driver in an information processing device having a card slot as standard equipment or an external device.

[0065]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, it is possible to determine whether or not a card is inserted in the card slot by inputting a key specially assigned at the initial stage of the information processing device. Only when it is checked and it is recognized that the card is inserted, that is, when the user inserts the card into the card slot and indicates the intention to use the card, the device driver corresponding to the card is installed. Compared with the case where the device drivers for various cards are installed unconditionally at startup, the built-in configuration allows
It is possible to prevent the main memory from being unduly occupied by the device driver.

According to the present invention, the device driver is included in the correspondence information describing the correspondence between various cards and the device driver for the card, which is used to identify the card inserted in the card slot. Of the device driver that is the target of embedding, by providing information indicating whether the device is a first form that can be incorporated without restarting or a second form that cannot be incorporated without restarting. If it is the first format, the device driver is directly loaded into the main memory, and if it is the second format,
Register the device driver in the environment setting file,
After that, by restarting the system and loading the device driver registered in the environment setting file into the main memory, the device driver can be inserted into the card slot even if the end user does not set the environment. The required device driver can be automatically installed in the card, and the end user's labor for installing the device driver can be saved.

Further, according to the present invention, when the device driver to be incorporated is registered in the environment setting file, a copy of the contents of the environment setting file before the update is left as a backup file, and the device driver is stored in the device driver. When the corresponding card is removed from the card slot, the contents of the environment setting file are restored to the original state by the backup file that was left above, and then the system is restarted. When the card is removed, the environment settings in the information processing device can be automatically returned to the original form, and in this respect as well, the end user's labor can be saved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram showing an embodiment of an information processing device to which an automatic assembling method for a card device driver according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a data structure example of a correspondence table 52 in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a part of a flowchart for explaining an automatic installation process of a PC card device driver according to an automatic installation program 21 in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another part of the flowchart for explaining the automatic installation processing of the PC card device driver according to the automatic installation program 21 in FIG.

5 is a diagram showing the rest of the flowchart for explaining the automatic installation processing of the PC card device driver according to the automatic installation program 21 in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation when the PC card is removed according to the program 21 for automatic incorporation in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... CPU, 2 ... Main memory, 3 ... Display device, 4 ... Keyboard, 5 ... External storage device, 6 ... PC card, 7 ... PC card slot, 21, 51 ... Automatic installation program, 52 ... Correspondence table ( PC card-device driver correspondence table, correspondence information), 53 ... environment setting file, 54 ... PC card device driver group.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A memory card conforming to a predetermined standard, I /
In a method of automatically incorporating a device driver for a card, which is applied to an information processing device having a card slot for mounting a card such as an O card as a standard equipment or an external device, it is specially assigned at the initial stage of the information processing device. When a key is input, a first step of checking whether or not the card is inserted in the slot, and a case of detecting that the card is inserted in the slot in the first step A second step of reading the attribute information of the card, and based on the attribute information read in the second step, various cards that can be used in the information processing device and comply with the predetermined standard, and By referring to the correspondence information describing the correspondence with the device driver for the card, the card inserted in the slot Identify de, third to determine the device driver incorporated in the information processing apparatus
And a fourth step of loading the device driver determined in the third step into the main memory of the information processing apparatus, the method for automatically incorporating a device driver for a card. 2. A memory card conforming to a predetermined standard, I /
In a method of automatically incorporating a device driver for a card, which is applied to an information processing device having a card slot for mounting a card such as an O card as a standard equipment or an external device, it is specially assigned at the initial stage of the information processing device. When a key is input, a first step of checking whether or not the card is inserted in the slot, and a case of detecting that the card is inserted in the slot in the first step A second step of reading the attribute information of the card, and based on the attribute information read in the second step, various cards that can be used in the information processing device and comply with the predetermined standard, and Correspondence with the device driver for the card, and the format of the device driver can be installed without restarting the first format or Refers to the correspondence information describing which of the second formats cannot be incorporated without restarting, identifies the card inserted in the slot, and identifies the device driver to be incorporated in the information processing device. A third step of determining, a fourth step of directly loading the device driver into the main memory if the format of the device driver determined in the third step is the first format, If the format of the device driver determined in step 3 is the second format, it becomes necessary to restore a copy of the environment setting file at that time to the original environment setting in the information processing device. In order to use it, leave it as a backup file and register the device driver in this environment setting file. A fifth step of loading the device driver registered in the environment setting file into the main memory by restarting the system, the method for automatically incorporating a card device driver. 3. A sixth step of monitoring whether or not the card has been removed from the slot with the device driver installed, and the step of removing the card from the slot in the sixth step. When it is detected that the card is detected, the seventh step for restoring the environment setting in the information processing device to the original form, in which the format of the device driver for the card is the second format The present invention further comprises a seventh step of restarting the system after returning the contents of the environment setting file to the original state by the backup file, if any. How to automatically install a device driver for a card.