Patent ID: 6351782
Filing Date: 2002-02-26
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method of sharing an I/O device between a host operating system and a foreign operating system which runs under said host operating system in a single computer, where said I/O device accepts removable data storage media and includes a device driver which receives device commands for reading addressable fields on said media; said method including the steps of:attempting to find a first identifier in a field on said media by generating one set of said device commands, via a serial chain of layered drivers within said host operating system, and sending them to said device driver; using said media as a source of data for said host operating system only if said first identifier is found on said media; attempting to find a second identifier in a field on said media by passing a another set of said device commands from said foreign operating system thru said layered drivers in said host operating system to said device driver; and, using said media as a source of data for said foreign operating system only if said second identifier is found on said media.