bios and hard drive

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b1528932

Joined: 21 May 2010
Posts: 287

b1528932 25 Jun 2010, 10:58

how do i detect if i have hard drive using bios?
about reading and writing i can find info, what about detection?

25 Jun 2010, 10:58

edfed

Joined: 20 Feb 2006
Posts: 4353
Location: Now

edfed 25 Jun 2010, 11:01

to detect a drive, use the drive ID command for bios.

Code:

        mov ah,8
        mov dl,[.drivenumber]
        int 13h
        jc error

this command returns drive info, carry set if error

25 Jun 2010, 11:01

bitshifter

Joined: 04 Dec 2007
Posts: 796
Location: Massachusetts, USA

bitshifter 25 Jun 2010, 11:11

Yep, http://www.ctyme.com/intr/rb-0621.htm

25 Jun 2010, 11:11

baldr

Joined: 19 Mar 2008
Posts: 1651

baldr 25 Jun 2010, 14:55

b1528932,

HDD doesn't know about BIOS, and it doesn't have to.

To get properties of modern HDDs you'll have to use ATA specs (IDENTIFY) of some revision.

25 Jun 2010, 14:55

b1528932

Joined: 21 May 2010
Posts: 287

b1528932 25 Jun 2010, 20:17

when executing bios code, i must locate suitable device and load its bootloader into memory. then start executing it.

how do i locate FDD/HD/CD?

25 Jun 2010, 20:17

DOS386

Joined: 08 Dec 2006
Posts: 1903

DOS386 27 Jun 2010, 10:53

> HDD doesn't know about BIOS, and it doesn't have to.

But BIOS usually knows about HD's installed Smile

> To get properties of modern HDDs you'll have to use
> ATA specs (IDENTIFY) of some revision.

NO. You can use the BIOS (may have outdated info Wink

) or the hardware directly.

> how do i locate FDD/HD/CD?

Again, use BIOS or hardware access (legacy ISA HD ports, PCI).

27 Jun 2010, 10:53

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