System and method for updating partition mappings to logical drives in a computer memory device

• US 6,032,239 A
• Filed: 10/15/1997
• Issued: 02/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dell Computer Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.), Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Beelitz, Alan E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Eddie P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Verbrugge, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US08/950,545
• Time in Patent Office: 867 Days
• Field of Search: 711/170-173, 713/1, 713/100
• US Class Current: 711/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0644 Management of space entities, e.g. partitions, extents, pools
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0674 Disk device

Abstract

A system and method for changing partition mappings to logical drives in a memory device of a computer. The computer includes a processor for running operating system code and a hard drive. The hard drive, which can be accessed by the processor, includes at least one partition. When the computer boots up, a logical reference value in the operating system code points to the partition. After the partition has been initialized or modified, a reference-updating routine is run for dynamically updating the logical reference value to correctly map to the partition. The reference-updating routine first locates and flushes any caches in the computer and closes any open files accessible by the operating system code. The routine then loads a boot record for the partition and retrieves specific data therefrom. With the retrieved data, the routine updates the logical reference value. Therefore, after the reference-updating routine has performed the updating, the processor may continue running the operating code without requiring the computer to reboot.

Claims

1. A computer comprising:

at least one processor for running software including operating code;

at least one storage device accessible by the processor, the storage device having at least one partition;

the operating code including a partition table for mapping a logical reference value to a first partition of the at least one partition; and

a routine for dynamically modifying the logical reference value to the first partition by altering the partition table, wherein altering the partition table includes updating a partition mapping to a logical drive using a BIOS Parameter Block data retrieved from a boot record of the first partition, wherein further the operating system logical reference value is modified for the first partition by using the BIOS Parameter Block data of the first partition to update an operating system Drive Parameter Block and by using the BIOS Parameter Block data to update a Drive Data Table;

wherein after the routine alters the partition table, the processor may continue running the operating code without requiring the computer to reboot and when the operating code uses the logical reference to the storage device, the operating code correctly maps to the first partition.

2. The computer of claim 1 further comprising a memory system and wherein the routine also flushes the memory system after modifying the logical reference.

3. The computer of claim 2 wherein the memory system further comprises a disk cache and one or more open files and wherein the routine flushes the memory system by flushing the disk cache and closing the one or more open files.

4. The computer of claim 1 wherein the operating code includes a file management system and wherein the routine also resets the file management system after modifying the logical reference.

5. The computer of claim 1 further comprising a second storage device and wherein the routine is stored on the second storage device.

6. The computer of claim 5 wherein the second storage device is a floppy diskette.

7. The computer of claim 5 wherein the second storage device is connected to the processor through a network.

8. The computer of claim 5 wherein the operating code is stored on the second storage device.

9. The computer of claim 1 wherein the routine updates the logical reference in response to a user command.

10. A method for allowing a computer operating system to dynamically reference a recently modified partition of a storage device, the method comprising the steps of:

locating and flushing any caches for the modified partition accessible by the computer operating system;

locating and closing any open files accessible by the computer operating system;

loading a boot record for the modified partition and retrieving a BIOS Parameter Block therefrom; and

modifying a logical reference value used by the computer operating system with information retrieved from the BIOS Parameter Block, accordingly updating a partition mapping to a logical drive using BIOS Parameter Block data retrieved from the boot record of the modified partition, wherein the operating system logical reference value is modified for the modified partition by using the BIOS Parameter Block data of the modified partition to update an operating system Drive Parameter Block and by using the BIOS Parameter Block data to update a Drive Data Table.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

loading a master boot record from the storage device; and

determining that the modified partition is a primary partition.

12. A system for allowing a computer operating system to dynamically reference a modified partition of a storage device, the system comprising:

means for locating and flushing any caches for the modified partition accessible by the computer operating system;

means for locating and closing any open files accessible by the computer operating system;

means for loading a boot record for the modified partition and retrieving a BIOS Parameter Block therefrom; and

means for modifying a logical reference value used by the computer operating system with information retrieved from the BIOS Parameter Block, accordingly for updating a partition mapping to a logical drive using BIOS Parameter Block data retrieved from the boot record of the modified partition, wherein the operating system logical reference value is modified for the modified partition by using the BIOS Parameter Block data of the modified partition to update an operating system Drive Parameter Block and by using the BIOS Parameter Block data to update a Drive Data Table.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

means for loading a master boot record from the storage device; and

means for determining that the modified partition is a primary partition.