Method and/or apparatus for reliably booting a computer system
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsDaniel A. Rich, Robert L. Huff
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for booting a computer. The method includes initiating a timer for a load and boot process. The load and boot process is monitored. Monitoring includes determined whether or not the load and boot process is completed successfully. Upon substantial completion of the load and boot process, the time is deactivated. The computer may be reset or sent into a system management mode of operation if the timer expires prior to completion of the load and boot process.
Claims22
A method for reliably booting a computer comprising:
- initiating a timer for a load and boot process;
- monitoring the load and boot process, wherein monitoring the system load and boot process includes receiving one or more electronic signals indicating the status of the boot process;
- and monitoring the load and boot process further comprises accessing one or more files located on the computing system, after a particular period of time has elapsed, wherein failure to access the one or more files indicates that the load and boot process was not successful;
- and
- deactivating the timer upon substantial completion of the load and boot process.
A machine-readable medium, having stored thereon instructions, that when executed by a computing system cause the computing system to, prior to completion of a load and boot process:
- access one or more memory locations on the computing system;
- initiate a software based timer found in the one or more memory locations;
- monitor at least a portion of the load and boot process, wherein to monitor at least a portion of the load and boot process includes to access one or more files located on the computing system, after a pre-determined period of time has elapsed, wherein failure to access the one or more files indicates that the load and boot process was not successful;
- and
- modify the timer when the load and boot process is substantially complete.
A computing system comprising:
- at least one processor;
- at least one memory device;
- at least one timer;
- and
- at least one bus, wherein said computing system includes the capability to, in operation, access the one or more memory devices on the computing system, initiate the timer, wherein the timer is substantially located in the memory device, monitor at least a portion of a load and boot process for the computing system, wherein to monitor at least a portion of a load and boot process includes to receive one or more electronic signals indicating the status of the load and boot process, wherein failure to receive the one or more electronic signals indicates that the load and boot process was not successful, and monitoring the load and boot process further comprises accessing one or more files located on the computing system, after a particular period of time has elapsed, wherein failure to access the one or more files indicates that the load and boot process was not successful;
- and modify the timer when the load and boot process is substantially complete, wherein the accessing, initiating, monitoring, and modifying are performed prior to the substantial completion of the load and boot process.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.