RE: how winXP manages HDD
From: BAR (anonymous_at_discussions.microsoft.com)
Date: 04/12/04
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Date: Sun, 11 Apr 2004 21:41:02 -0700
You really need to do a computer course at college.
The BIOS contains software codes that control the most important functions of the computer how the PC interprets keystrokes, how characters are displayed on the screen, how it communicates through its ports, reads and writes to disk drives etc.
The BIOS is actually a hardware and software. The hardware portion is the silicon chip called an EPROM (Eraseable Programmable read-only memory) on which the software resides. The software is “burned” onto the EPROM so that the information it contains is always available.
Every time the computer is powered on the BIOS initiates a sequence of actions and runs the Power-On Self Test. POST is a routine that checks all of the hardware in your computer; i.e. controller chips for Memory, Disks and Graphics, communications ports, expansion slots, hard/floppy drivesetc.
This System Configuration information is stored in CMOS. Through the system configuration utility menu you can configure the system certain aspects of the system These include:
* Boot Sequence.
* system time and date.
* Basic and advanced configuration of system bus, and expansion slots (PCI & IDE).
* Automatic detection and configuration of system IDE devices (hard drives, CD-ROMS, DVD’s).
* Automatic detection and configuration of floppy drives (3.5” and 5.25”).
* Configuration of system port (serial, USB, InfraRed, & parallel ports).
* Basic and advanced configuration of system RAM.
These are NOT usually manageable by an Operating System [system time and date are amongst some of the exceptions].Once the BIOS verifies that the system is working properly, it initializes the operating system load process: you may from time to time have left a Floppy Drive in and had the message 'invalid system disk'.
So once the Operating System Starts to load, it refers to the information from CMOS and in the case of Windows Xp, compares this with the values stored in certain system files. If certain of these values are altered significantly Windows will not load: for a small change, it will 'detect' the new device [e.g. Hard Disk] and load the Windows Xp Drivers to manage the communications of I/O request to the IDE or SCSI Disk Controller for the Hard Disk. After Windows completes installation of any new hardware, then you can continue using the computer.
SO there is a quick introduction as to how an 'IBM Compatible' Personal Computer works [more realistically an Intel Compatible PC].
Use the web to search for more information: GOOGLE is a good search engine or go to your local library and ask for assistance.
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