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From: dmillar@sandstorm.Berkeley.EDU (Derek Millar)
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.programmer
Subject: Re: Removing disks
Message-ID: <1991Jun18.072906.23779@agate.berkeley.edu>
Date: 18 Jun 91 07:29:06 GMT
References: <JNEWS-2@smylex.UUCP> <1991Jun17.222559.23301@wpi.WPI.EDU>
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In article <1991Jun17.222559.23301@wpi.WPI.EDU> jrusso@wpi.WPI.EDU (Jeffrey K Russo) writes:
>In article <JNEWS-2@smylex.UUCP> jlee@smylex.UUCP (Jeff Lee) writes:
>>Do PC floppy drives generate a hardware interrupt when the disk is removed?
>>If so, how can I distinguish them from other disk interrupts?
>
>I think most PC drives are mechanical (read: hand-operated) in the way they
>release their disks. There isn't any way for the computer to know when the
>disk has been removed other than attempting to read it.
>
>If anyone can prove me wrong I'd definately like to hear from them as I'd
>be interested in this information too.
>
>Jeff
>
Wrong.  There are two BIOS functions that relate to this:

int 13h function 15h : returns disk type (not available, disk change not
			detectable, disk change detectable, hard disk)

int 13h function 16h : checks to see if the disk has been changed.

These functions are available on PC/XT (BIOS date 1/10/86 +), PC XT 286, PC AT,
and PS/2 line (and, I would imagine, on most other BIOSs).  Look 'em up.

	   - Derek Millar