Selectively updating a bios image
AssigneeDell Products L.P.
InventorsSumanth Vidyadhara, Shekar Babu Suryanarayana
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A BIOS image can be selectively updated. An image loader of the BIOS can be configured to detect whether a BIOS image to be loaded includes a selective update capability field, and if so, employ a value defined in the selective update capability field to determine whether an updated BIOS image exists. When an updated BIOS image exists, the image loader can load the updated BIOS image rather than the BIOS image. In this way, an individual BIOS image can be selectively updated without needing to update the entire BIOS.
Claims20
A method, performed during a boot process on a computing system, for selectively updating a BIOS image, the method comprising:
- in response to a request to load a BIOS image from existing BIOS, obtaining an identifier from the BIOS image;
- employing the identifier to determine whether an updated BIOS image is available for the BIOS image;
- and
- upon determining that an updated BIOS image is available for the BIOS image, loading the updated BIOS image rather than the BIOS image.
One or more computer storage media storing computer executable instructions which when executed implement a method for selectively updating a BIOS image during a boot process on a computing system, the method comprising:
- in response to a request to load a BIOS image from existing BIOS, determining that the BIOS image includes a selective update capability field;
- employing an identifier defined in the selective update capability field to determine whether an updated BIOS image is available for the BIOS image;
- and
- upon determining that an updated BIOS image is available for the BIOS image, loading the updated BIOS image rather than the BIOS image.
A computing system comprising:
- one or more processors;
- and
- computer storage media storing existing BIOS, wherein the existing BIOS implements an image loader and includes a plurality of BIOS images;
- wherein the image loader is configured to implement a method during a boot process for selectively updating BIOS images included in the existing BIOS, the method comprising:
- in response to a request to load a first BIOS image included in the existing BIOS, determining that the first BIOS image includes a selective update capability field;
- obtaining a first identifier defined in the selective update capability field of the first BIOS image;
- determining that the first identifier is mapped to a first storage location;
- and
- loading an updated first BIOS image that is stored at the first storage location rather than loading the first BIOS image from the existing BIOS.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.