Check Disk

Checks a disk drive for ready returns error in DOS' ERRORLEVEL for use in batch files.
This file is distributed to show how to check for disk ready using a verify-sector routine. This technique is undocumented in most DOS programming books or manuals.

*Programming description
Out of most all DOS interrupts, only READ, WRITE, and VERIFY DISK SECTORS or the only interrupt services that won't call DOS' Critical Error Handler.

So we will take advantage of the VERIFY service. All this service does is verifies the contents of one or more disk sectors. This service simply checks the sectors can be found and read and that the CRC is correct. If a disk is not found in the drive, then this service returns an error in AH, while not letting DOS know about the error.

*Registers used:  (F)loppy  (H)ard drive
          AL - number of sectors to verify
          AH - (04h) service number for interrupt 13h
          CH - cylinder number (F)
                 low-order 8 bits of cylinder number (H)
          CL - sector number (F)
                 high-order 2 bits of cylinder number,
                 plus 6 bit sector number (H)
          DL - drive number
                 0 - A:, 1 - B:, 80h - first hard drive (C:)
          DH - head number
          BX - not used for verifying sectors

        On return, if carry flag then error.

*Using in a .bat file
          You can use this in a batch file.
          Chkdsk returns a 0 in DOS' ERRORLEVEL if disk ready
          Chkdsk returns a 1 in DOS' ERRORLEVEL if disk NOT ready
        Example:

          Chkdsk
          @if ErrorLevel == 1 goto error
           .
           .do normal disk operation
           .
          goto end
          :error
            .
            .do what ever error handling wanted
            .
          :end


; Assemble with NBASM

.MODEL tiny
.CODE
	org 100h
	
	mov	ah,04h			; Verify Disk Sectors
	mov	al,01h			; Amount to verify
	mov	ch,01h			; High order cylinder number (8 bits)
	mov	cl,01h			; Sector Number in bits 0-5
	xor	dl,dl			; use drive A:
	xor	dh,dh			;    remaining 6-7 bits are low order for CH
	int	13h			; DH is the head number
	xor	al,al 			; DOS' ERRORLEVEL
	jnc	Done			;
	mov	dl,07h			; simple beep
	mov	ah,02h			;
	int	21h			;
	mov	al,01h			; DOS' ERRORLEVEL
Done:	mov	ah,4Ch			; exit to DOS
	int	21h			;
.end					; End of assembly code