JPS6371721A - Ram disk operating system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the loss of files due to misoperation by moving files between an external large-capacity storage device and a RAM disk in accordance with turning-on/off of a power switch. CONSTITUTION:When the power-on state is detected and is transmitted to a RAM disk generating means 15, the means 16 generates a RAM disk and reports it to a file transfer means 24. The transfer means 24 transfers a pertinent file from an external large-capacity storage device 14 to a RAM disk 12A on a basis of information in a file table 22. When the power switch is turned off with the end of processing, the power-off state is detected by a power switch state reporting means 1 and is transmitted to the file transfer means 24. The means 24 transfers the updated file or new file in the RAM disk 12A to the external large-capacity storage device 14 on a basis of information in the file table 22 and reports the end of transfer to a power turning-off means 20 at the time of the end of transfer and means 20 turns off a device power source.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] Files are automatically moved between an external mass storage device and a RAM disk in conjunction with turning on and off a power switch.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a method of operating a RAM disk, and is intended to prevent files from being deleted due to operational errors.

[Conventional technology]

Recently, in information processing devices such as personal computers, RAM
Due to the decline in the price of random access memory (random access memory), main storage devices have increased in capacity, and this large capacity main storage device has been used to construct RAM disks. A RAM disk is a part of the main memory that is used to store part of the data in an external mass storage device such as a floppy disk or hard disk, and can be read and written from by application programs in the same way as an external storage device. It is something. When a utility or application program runs, the required data is conventionally accessed from an external mass storage device, which is time consuming. If it is stored in the main memory (by configuring a RAM disk), access to the main memory can be performed quickly, and high-speed processing becomes possible, which is a great advantage.

FIG. 5 shows a conventional information processing device having a RAM disk. A part of the area 12A of the main storage device 12 is made into a RAM disk, but the RAM disk creation means 16 determines which area of the main memory should be made into a RAM disk.Data (files) in the external mass storage device 14 is moved to RAM disk 12A, the memory access address is converted from that of storage device 14 to that of RAM disk 12A, and RAM disk 12A is accessed instead of storage device 14. When running a utility or application program, the operator must
Instructs to transfer the required files in the device to the RAM disk 12A. As a result, the program can access the RAM disk while running and perform required processing at high speed. When an application program runs and performs necessary processing, some of the files in the RAM disk may be updated (updating may be the purpose, such as file updating), or new files may be created. Since the stored contents of the hemicyclic RAM disappear when the power is turned off, the operator returns the contents (files) of the RAM disk to the external mass storage device once the processing is completed.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

As described above, in the conventional RAM disk operating method, copying files from an external mass storage device to a RAM disk and saving files from a RAM disk to an external mass storage device is left to the operator. Therefore, if the operator forgets to return the file from the RAM disk to the external mass storage device at the end of the process and turns off the power, the file will be lost, and the process that involves updating the file or creating a new file will disappear. If so, it would be troublesome to have to repeat the process all over again.

' The present invention aims to prevent accidents such as loss of files by automatically returning files on a RAM disk to an external mass storage device when the power is turned off.

[Means for solving problems]

As shown in FIG. 1, in the present invention, a conventional information processing device has
A power switch state notification means 18, a power cutoff means 20, a file table 22, and a file transfer means 24 are provided.

[Effect]

In the RAM disk operation method of the present invention, when the operator turns on the power switch, the device power is immediately turned on, and the power switch state notification means 18 detects the power on state and notifies the RAM disk creation means 16 of the power on state. The means 16 creates a RAM disk (determines the address on the main memory) and notifies the file transfer means 24 of it. The transfer means 24 transfers the corresponding file from the external mass storage device 14 to the RAM disk 12A based on the information in the file table 22 (all files in 22), and when the process is completed, the operator turns off the power switch. When this happens, the device power is not immediately turned off, and the power switch state notification means 18 detects this power switch off state and notifies the file transfer means 24 of this fact. The means 24 transfers the updated file or newly created file in the RAM disk 12A to the external mass storage device 14 based on the information in the file table 22, and when the transfer is completed, notifies the power cut-off means 20 to that effect. and the means 20 turns off the device power. This avoids file loss.

〔Example〕

The file table 22 may be configured in an independent memory, but as shown in FIG. 2, it is appropriate to configure it in a partial area of an external mass storage device (floppy disk or hard disk). The file table is as shown in Figure 4 (al), device name, file block 1.2...
..., file name x in file block 2
yz, www, . . . are written. Groups ABC, EFG, etc. are a collection of files.
...and these are written to file block 1. h
ardl * hard2 is hard disk 1, hard disk 2
, and FLPO represents floppy disk 0.

These deal with multiple hard/floppy disks.

This table can be viewed as files xyz, . . . in file group ABC of hard disk 1.

To further subdivide the file, file block 3
, 43... are provided. The unit of transfer between the storage device 14 and the RAM disk 12A is a file group.

As shown in Figure 4, the file consists of a header section and a data section. The file name, file creation date, file update date, and data section size are written in the header section, and the data section contains the data section. is written.

FIGS. 3(a) to (C1) are flowcharts showing the operation. When the power switch is turned on, the notification means 18 notifies the RAM disk creation means 16 that the power switch is on.
creates a RAM disk and notifies the file transfer means 24 of this (the address of the RAM disk area in the main memory). The file transfer means 24 looks at the file table 22, sequentially retrieves the corresponding file groups from the mass storage device 14, and transfers them to the RAM disk 12A. The capacity of the RAM disk is 256 bytes or 512 bytes, etc., allowing the operator to perform quick tasks using the files stored on the RAM disk.

When the operator turns off the power switch, this is detected by the notification means 18 and notified to the file transfer means 24. When the file transfer means receives this, it looks at the file table 22 and saves updated files and newly created files among the files in the RAM disk in the storage device 14. Also, a new file name is written to the file table 22. Note that file updates are performed with reference to the date in the file header.

Also, the search range for new files will be the files within the group. The completion of the save is notified to the power cutoff means 20, which turns off the power to the device. In the event of an error such as when a save ends abnormally, the power is not turned off, an alarm is issued, and the process is left to the operator.

When changing the files to be copied to the RAM disk, rewrite the file group name in the file table. As a means of rewriting, a standard means provided by the central processing unit may be used since the file table is also one of the files.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, copying and saving between an external mass storage device and a RAM disk are automatically performed, and operator errors such as file loss can be prevented.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the principle of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the invention, Fig. 3 is a flow chart showing the processing procedure, Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram of files and file tables, FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a RAM disk. In FIG. 1, 10 is the central processing unit, 12 is the main memory, and 14
is a mass storage device, 16 is a RAM disk creation means, 1
8 is a power switch state detection means; 20 is a power cutoff means;
22 is a file table, and 24 is a file transfer means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A central processing unit (10), a main storage device (12), an external mass storage device (14), and a RAM disk creation means (
16), an information processing device that copies a part of a file stored in an external mass storage device to a part of the main storage device and uses it as a RAM disk that can be accessed by an application program. In the operation method of the RAM disk, a power switch status notification means (18), a power cut-off means (2)
0), a file table (22), and a file transfer means (24), and when the notification means (18) detects power switch-on, it notifies the creation means (16) of this to create a RAM disk. The transfer means (24) refers to the file table (22) and transfers the corresponding file from the external mass storage device to the RAM disk, and when the notification means (18) detects that the power is switched off, The transfer means (24) refers to the file table, transfers the updated file and newly created file from the RAM disk to the external mass storage device, and turns off the power when the transfer is completed. A RAM disk operation method characterized by notifying a means to turn off the power.