Method and apparatus for providing hot swapping capability in a computer system with static peripheral driver software

摘要

A computer system which utilizes a "static" peripheral device driver that recognizes configuration changes only on system initialization is modified to provide hot insertion capability. In particular, in order to provide hot insertion capability, software which allows operation with PCMCIA compatible peripherals is loaded into the computer and the static peripheral device driver is modified to communicate directly with the PCMCIA software. In this manner the conventional PCMCIA software recognizes hot insertions and removals and these vents are communicated to the static driver by means of internal data packets.