Methods, computer systems, and device for utilizing pointers of a ROM image that may be stored in various formats

A computer system including a ROM device wherein information in a ROM image from the ROM device is located by pointers, comprising:

• a memory storing code;
• a processor that executes the code to:
• detect whether the ROM image includes pointers stored in a first format or a second format;
• convert all pointers from the first format to the second format to access information from the ROM image upon detecting that the pointers are stored in the first format;
• and
• utilize the pointers in the second format to access information from the ROM image upon detecting that the pointers are stored in the second format.

A ROM device that comprises a ROM image, the ROM image comprising:

• a header having a plurality of fields, the plurality of fields including an attribute field that has a value indicative of whether pointers stored in the ROM image are in a first format or a second format;
• a plurality of modules, wherein each module has a location identified by a pointer;
• and
• code that when executed determines from the attribute field whether the pointers are stored in the first format or the second format and that converts the pointers stored in the first format to the second format.