Method and system for initializing a hardware device

A method comprising:

• performing, upon resetting of a computer system, a platform initialization, including initializing a processor and an associated chipset;
• retrieving current data from a memory device of the computer system to identify the memory device;
• comparing the current data and reference data to determine if the memory device has changed subsequent to storage of the reference data, wherein the reference data includes reference initialization data and reference identification data;
• and
• initializing the memory device using the reference data if the memory device has not changed and, if the memory device has changed, retrieving current data from the memory device and initializing the memory device using the current data and storing the current data as reference data without re-booting the computer system.

A computer system comprising:

• at least one hardware device requiring initialization;
• memory to store reference data of the hardware device, wherein the reference data includes reference initialization data and reference identification data;
• and
• a processor to:
• retrieve current data from the hardware device to identify the hardware device;
• compare the current data and the reference data to determine if the hardware device has changed subsequent to storage of the reference data;
• and
• subsequent to the processor retrieving the current data, to initialize the hardware device using the reference data if the hardware device has not changed.

A computer program product including a medium readable by a computer, the medium carrying instructions which, when executed cause the computer to:

• store reference data of a hardware device to be initialized;
• retrieve current data from the hardware device;
• compare the current data and the reference data to determine if the hardware device has changed subsequent to storage of the reference data, wherein the reference data includes reference initialization data and reference identification data;
• and
• subsequent to the computer retrieving the current data, to initialize the hardware device using the reference data if the hardware device has not changed.