bios and hard drive

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b1528932

Joined: 21 May 2010
Posts: 287

b1528932

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: 4248
Location: Now

edfed

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: 786
Location: Massachusetts, USA

bitshifter

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

25 Jun 2010, 11:11

baldr

Joined: 19 Mar 2008
Posts: 1651

baldr

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

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: 1901

DOS386

> 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 You can use the BIOS (may have outdated info Wink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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