METHOD OF CONFIGURING NON-VOLATILE MEMORY FOR A HYBRID DISK DRIVE
A method is provided to operate a non-volatile memory (NVM) in a hybrid drive mode in response to a user selection. To operate in hybrid drive mode, a computer operating system and a basic input/output system are preferably updated to identify the NVM as part of the same logical bootable disk, or logical hybrid drive, as a hard disk drive. Bootable disk sector and address mapping can be modified to reflect the addition or removal of the NVM. The NVM is preferably user-replaceable and upgradeable without opening the computer's casing. When the NVM includes more than one NVM module, a first NVM module can operate in hybrid disk mode while a second NVM module operates in a normal storage mode. Since no internal hardware modification is required, this approach can provide hybrid disk performance using conventional hardware, or to enhance performance of an existing hybrid drive.
1 . A method of configuring a non-volatile memory (NVM) in a computer system having a hard disk drive, an operating system (O/S) and a basic input/output system (BIOS), the method comprising:
receiving a user selection of a hybrid drive mode for the NVM;
copying boot portions of the O/S to the NVM in response to the user selection; and
assigning the hard disk drive (HDD) and the NVM as a logical hybrid drive of the computer system.
2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
prior to the step of receiving the user selection, configuring the NVM to operate in a normal storage mode.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the step of assigning comprises assigning the HDD and the NVM to a logical hybrid bootable disk.
4 . The method of claim 3 wherein the step of assigning comprises modifying bootable disk sector and address mapping to include the NVM.
5 . The method of claim 3 wherein the step of assigning comprises modifying the BIOS to identify the NVM as a non-volatile HDD cache.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the NVM includes first and second NVM modules, further comprising:
copying the boot portions of the O/S to the first NVM module and defining the logical hybrid drive to include the first NVM module, to operate the first NVM module in the hybrid drive mode; and
operating the second NVM module in a normal storage mode while the first NVM module operates in the hybrid drive mode.
7 . The method of claim 1 further comprising disabling the hybrid drive mode in response to a hybrid drive mode termination condition for the NVM.
8 . The method of claim 7 further comprising, after the step of disabling, removing the NVM from the defined logical hybrid drive.
9 . The method of claim 8 further comprising modifying bootable disk sector and address mapping to remove the NVM.
10 . A computer system including a hard disk drive (HDD), a non-volatile memory (NVM), an operating system (O/S) and a basic input/output system (BIOS), comprising:
a machine-readable medium storing commands and instructions which, when executed, cause a processor to perform a method of configuring a non-volatile memory, the method including:
receiving a user selection of a hybrid drive mode for the NVM;
copying boot portions of the O/S to the NVM in response to the user selection; and
assigning the hard disk drive and the NVM as a logical hybrid drive of the computer system.
11 . The computer system of claim 10 wherein the NVM is removable and replaceable without performing an internal computer system hardware upgrade.
12 . The computer system of claim 10 wherein the NVM comprises a flash memory card.
13 . The computer system of claim 10 further comprising a receiver for receiving the NVM, the receiver being in electrical communication with the processor.
14 . The computer system of claim 13 wherein the receiver comprises a slot for receiving the NVM, the slot being accessible by a user without opening the outer casing, the slot including a securing means to prevent disconnection of the NVM when the NVM is being used in hybrid drive mode.
15 . The computer system of claim 10 wherein the NVM includes first and second NVM modules:
the first NVM module including the boot portions of the O/S, the logical hybrid drive being defined to include the first NVM module, the first NVM module being operable in the hybrid drive mode; and
the second NVM module being operable in a normal storage mode while the first NVM module is operable in the hybrid drive mode.
16 . The computer system of claim 15 wherein the first and second NVM modules are logical NVM modules.
17 . The computer system of claim 15 wherein the first and second NVM modules are physical NVM modules.
18 . A machine-readable medium storing commands and instructions which, when executed, cause a processor to perform a method of configuring a non-volatile memory (NVM) in a computer system having a hard disk drive, an operating system (O/S) and a basic input/output system (BIOS), the method comprising:
receiving a user selection of a hybrid drive mode for the NVM;
copying boot portions of the O/S to the NVM in response to the user selection; and
assigning the hard disk drive and the NVM as a logical hybrid drive of the computer system.
19 . The machine-readable medium of claim 18 wherein, the method comprises, prior to the step of receiving the user selection, configuring the NVM to operate in a normal storage mode.
20 . The machine-readable medium of claim 18 wherein the logical hybrid drive comprises a logical bootable disk.
21 . The machine-readable medium of claim 20 wherein the step of assigning comprises assigning the HDD and the NVM to a logical hybrid bootable disk.
22 . The machine-readable medium of claim 20 wherein the step of assigning comprises modifying bootable disk sector and address mapping to include the NVM.
23 . The machine-readable medium of claim 20 wherein the step of assigning comprises modifying the BIOS to identify the NVM as a non-volatile HDD cache.
24 . The machine-readable medium of claim 18 wherein the NVM includes first and second NVM modules, the method further comprising:
copying the boot portions of the O/S to the first NVM module and defining the logical hybrid drive to include the first NVM module, to operate the first NVM module in the hybrid drive mode; and
operating the second NVM module in a normal storage mode while the first NVM module operates in the hybrid drive mode.
25 . The machine-readable medium of claim 18 wherein the method further comprises disabling the hybrid drive mode in response to a hybrid drive mode termination condition for the NVM.
26 . The machine-readable medium of claim 25 wherein the method further comprises after the step of disabling, removing the NVM from the defined logical hybrid drive.
27 . The machine-readable medium of claim 26 wherein the method further comprises modifying bootable disk sector and address mapping to remove the NVM.