JPS63138438A - Memory dump system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To collect the information needed for analysis of the abnormality factor without using any special external equipment, by applying a resetting mode with operation of a specific key when a memory dump system has abnormality and storing the information needed for analysis of the fault when the system abnormality occurs. CONSTITUTION:When the system abnormality occurs, a resetting mode is requested for a CPU with push of a resetting button. This resetting request is detected by a resetting request detecting means 3 and an auxiliary memory related hardware 4 and a keyboard related hardware 5 are initialized by an initialization means 6. A memory dump request detecting means 7 discriminates whether a prescribed key 2a is operated or not on a keyboard 2 after the resetting request is detected by the means 3. If the key 2a is operated, it is judged that a memory dump request is given. Thus, a write means 9 is actuated to write the contents of a prescribed memory 8 in a computer into a memory medium 1a of an auxiliary memory 1. In such a way, the subsequent analyses are possible for factors of abnormality with no use of a special external equipment.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a memory dump method, and in particular, if a predetermined key on the keyboard is pressed when resetting the CPU of a combiator, the memory of the computer before system startup is The present invention relates to a memory dump method for writing contents to an auxiliary storage medium such as a floppy disk.

[Conventional technology]

In a combiator such as a personal computer, when a system abnormality occurs due to a software abnormality, the system is normally restarted by pressing a reset button. In this case, in conventional convenience store systems, when the system is restarted, the contents of the computer's memory at the time the error occurred are cleared and are not saved anywhere, so in order to analyze the cause of the error, Before restarting the system,
External devices such as in-circuit emulators and logic analyzers had to be connected to convenience stores to analyze the cause.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, special external equipment such as in-circuit emulators and logic analyzers may not always be available, so if such special external equipment is not available,
In the past, there was a problem in that it was not possible to collect even the data necessary to analyze the causes of abnormalities.

The present invention has been made in view of these circumstances,
The purpose of this is to provide a memory dump method in which the memory contents before system startup are automatically written to an auxiliary storage medium such as a floppy disk by performing a predetermined operation when a CPU reset is requested. The purpose is to enable subsequent cause analysis without special external equipment such as an analyzer.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a memory dump method for a computer having an auxiliary storage device 1fl and a keyboard 2, as shown in FIG.
A reset request detection means 3 for the PU, and an initial setting means 6 that initializes the hardware 4 related to auxiliary storage and the hardware 5 related to the keyboard 2 in response to the detection of the reset request by the reset request detection means 3. and a predetermined key 2a of the keyboard 2 in response to the detection of a reset request by the reset request detection means 3.
a memory dump request detecting means 7 for detecting whether or not the memory dump request detecting means 7 is operated; and a writing means 9 for writing the contents of the memory 8 into the storage medium 1a of the auxiliary storage device 1 in response to the detection by the memory dump request detecting means 7. and has.

[Effect]

When a system error occurs in the computer due to a software error, etc., and a reset request is made to the CPU by pressing the reset button, the reset request is detected by the reset request detection means 3, and the initial setting means 6 performs an auxiliary Storage-related hardware 4 and keyboard-related hardware 5 are initialized. When the reset request detection means 3 detects a reset request, the memory dump request detection means 7 activates a predetermined key 2a of the keyboard 2.
If it is, it is determined that a memory dump request has been made and the writing means 9 is activated to store the contents of a predetermined memory 8 in the computer in the auxiliary storage device 1. Write to the medium 1a.

(Example) Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, and shows an example of the hardware configuration of a personal computer.The personal combi operator of this embodiment includes a CPU 10, a keyboard controller 12 connected to the CPU bus 11. Display control unit 13. Floppy disk control section 14. RAM
15 and ROM 22, a keyboard 16 connected to the keyboard control section 12, a CRT display 17 connected to the display control section 13, and a floppy disk device 18 connected to the floppy disk control section 14.
, a power-on reset signal generating means 19 that generates a reset signal R2 for CPtJlo in response to power-on of the system, and a reset signal R1 for CPUl0.
and a gate circuit 20 that applies reset signals R1 and R2 from the reset button 21 and power-on reset signal generating means 19 to CPtJlo. The keyboard 16 is provided with various keys such as the alpha key.
6a is determined in advance as a specific key for instructing a memory dump when resetting the CPU.

FIG. 3 is a schematic flowchart of the system startup program stored in the ROM 22, and the operation of this embodiment will be explained below with reference to each figure.

If a system abnormality occurs for some reason while the personal computer shown in FIG. 2 is operating, the CPU 10 is normally reset by pressing the reset button 21. At this time, if the operator wants to collect the memory contents of various parts of the computer at that point on the Fronby disk of the floppy disk drive 18 for later failure analysis, the operator may, for example, move the floppy disk for memory dump into the floppy disk drive. 18, and then press the reset button 21 while pressing the specific key 16a of the keyboard 16. Furthermore, if you wish to restart the system without performing such collection, only the reset button 21 is pressed.

Reset signal R1 generated by pressing the reset button 21
is applied to CPU10 via the gate circuit 20,
The hardware mechanism within CPU10 transfers control to the program start address of FIG. 3, and CPU10 begins the process shown in FIG.

First, the CPU 10 initializes the floppy disk related hardware such as the floppy disk control section 14, and also initializes the keyboard related hardware such as the keyboard control section 12 (31.S2).

Then, the state of the specific key 168 of the keyboard 16 is read (3
3) It is determined whether the specific key 16a is pressed (34).

If the CPU10 determines that the specific key 16a is pressed, it transfers predetermined memory contents from the RAM 15 or the memory (register) 10a in the CPU10 to the floppy disk control unit 14 that has completed initialization. The floppy disk is sent and loaded into the floppy disk inserted into the floppy disk device 18 (S5). Then, it puts itself into a stopped state (S6).

Through the above operations, the contents of the memory such as the RAM 15 were able to be stored in the Frembie disk set in the floppy disk device 18. To restart the system after that, replace the floppy disk with the required one, press the reset button 21 without pressing the specific key 16a, or turn off the power and then turn it on again to turn on the reset signal R1 or It is sufficient to give R2 to CPU10. In this way, since the specific key 16a is not pressed, the CPU 10 performs normal startup processing including clearing the RAM 15, etc. (S7). At this time, the initial settings of the floppy disk-related hardware and the keyboard-related hardware are Since this has already been done, you can omit the initial settings for that part.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, by operating a specific key on the keyboard at the time of CPU reset, the memory contents of the computer at the time of CPU reset, that is, immediately before system startup, are collected on a storage medium such as a floppy disk. can do. Therefore, when a computer system malfunction occurs due to a software malfunction, etc., by resetting the computer while operating the specific keys mentioned above, it is possible to save the information necessary for failure analysis at the time when the system malfunction occurred. This makes it possible to collect the information necessary to analyze the cause of an abnormality without the need for special external equipment such as an in-circuit emitter or logic analyzer.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram explaining 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 an example of a system startup program. In the figure, l... Auxiliary storage device, 1a... Storage medium, 2... Keyboard, 2a... Key, 3... Reset request detection means, 4... Auxiliary storage related hardware, 5 ... Keyboard related hardware, 6. Initial setting means, 7. Memory dump request detection means, 8.
...Memory, 9...Writing means.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim] A memory dump method for a computer having an auxiliary storage device and a keyboard, comprising: reset request detection means for a CPU; and a reset request related to the auxiliary storage device in response to detection of a reset request by the reset request detection means. Initial setting means for initializing hardware and hardware related to the keyboard, and detecting whether or not a predetermined key of the keyboard is operated in response to detection of a reset request by the reset request detection means. A memory dump method comprising: a memory dump request detecting means for detecting a memory dump request; and a writing means for writing the contents of the memory onto a storage medium of the auxiliary storage device in response to the detection by the memory dump request detecting means.