Preservation of a computer system processing state in a mass storage device

In a computer system for operating in a protected and a nonprotected mode having a processor, a memory, and a nonvolatile mass storage device, said nonprotected mode including a system management interrupt mode, said memory being partitioned into an isolated memory and a non-isolated memory, said isolated memory being only accessible from said system management interrupt mode said non-isolated memory being partitioned into a first portion of non-isolated memory that can only be accessed when said processor is operating in said protected mode and a second portion of non-isolated memory that can be accessed when said processor is operating in either said protected or nonprotected mode, a process for restoring the processing state of said computer system, said process comprising the steps of:

• resetting said processor;
• activating a first restore system state module, said first restore system state module operating in said system management interrupt mode, said first restore system state module having access to said isolated memory and said second portion of non-isolated memory, said first restore system state module writing information from said second portion of non-isolated memory into said isolated memory;
• and
• activating a second restore system state module, said second restore system state module operating in said protected mode, said second restore system state module having access to said first and second portion of non-isolated memory, said second restore system state module writing information from a predetermined location on said nonvolatile mass storage device to said first and second portion of non-isolated memory.

In a computer system for operating in a protected and nonprotected mode having a processor, a memory, and a nonvolatile mass storage device, said nonprotected mode including a system management interrupt mode, said memory being partitioned into an isolated memory and a non-isolated memory, said isolated memory being only accessible from said system management interrupt mode, said non-isolated memory being accessible when said processor is operating in either said protected or nonprotected mode, a process for saving the processing state of said computer system, said process comprising the steps of:

• interrupting the execution of said processor upon the occurrence of a triggering event, said triggering event forcing said processor to operate in said system management interrupt mode;
• activating a first save system state module, said first save system state module operating in said system management interrupt mode, said first save system state module having access to said isolated memory and said non-isolated memory, said first save system state module writing information from said isolated memory into said non-isolated memory;
• and
• activating a second save system state module, said second save system state module operating in said nonprotected mode, said second save system state module having access to said non-isolated memory, said second save system state module writing information from said non-isolated memory to a predetermined location on said nonvolatile mass storage device.

In a computer system for operating in a protected and a nonprotected mode having a processor, a memory, and a nonvolatile mass storage device, said nonprotected mode including a system management interrupt mode, said memory being partitioned into an isolated memory and a non-isolated memory, said isolated memory being only accessible from said system management interrupt mode, a process for restoring the processing state of said computer system, said process comprising the steps of:

• resetting said processor;
• activating a first restore system state module, said first restore system state module operating in said system management interrupt mode, said first restore system state module having access to said isolated memory and said non-isolated memory, said first restore system state module writing information from said non-isolated memory into said isolated memory;
• and
• activating a second restore system state module, said second restore system state module operating in said nonprotected mode, said second restore system state module having access to said non-isolated memory, said second restore system state module writing information from a predetermined location on said nonvolatile mass storage device to said non-isolated memory.