32-Bit Disk Access and Western Digital 1003 Controller Cards
ID: Q86831
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The information in this article applies to:
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Microsoft Windows versions 3.1, 3.11
SUMMARY
The Microsoft Windows version 3.1 32-Bit Disk Access feature actually
performs 16-bit input/output with the Western Digital 1003 hard drive
controller card and compatibles.
MORE INFORMATION
Microsoft Windows 3.1 ships with one Virtual Hard Disk Controller
Device, which is WDCTRL. WDCTRL supports hard-drive controllers that
are compatible with the Western Digital 1003 standard. This standard
is a 16-bit standard.
The 32-Bit Disk Access feature is a series of layered virtual device
drivers. The higher-level virtual device drivers send their requests
down to the virtual device driver, which actually talks to the hard
disk controller, that is, WDCTRL. The communication between virtual
device drivers is 32-bit data. The virtual device driver that
communicates to the hard disk controller can use 16-bit or 32-bit
input/output.
Currently WDCTRL is using 16-bit input/output because it was written
specifically for the Western Digital 1003 16-bit standard. To achieve
true 32-bit input/output, a hardware manufacturer would have to write a
low-level virtual device driver that communicates to a specific hard
drive controller that is 32-bit. Currently Microsoft only provides the
WDCTRL.
Additional query words:
fastdisk 3.10
Keywords :
Version : WINDOWS:3.1,3.11
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type :