Method and system for detecting the validity of configuration data

A computer system for detecting the validity of computer BIOS configuration data, the system comprising:

• a first memory device for storing a program for detecting the validity of present BIOS configuration data stored in the computer system and for storing executable program code including updated BIOS configuration data for the computer system;
• a second memory device for storing the present BIOS configuration data;
• and
• a processor, functionally coupled to the first and second memory devices, the processor being responsive to computer-executable instructions contained in the program and operative to:
• detect a layout of the present BIOS configuration data;
• detect a layout of the updated BIOS configuration data;
• compare the layout of the present BIOS configuration data to the layout of the updated BIOS configuration data;
• if the layout of the present BIOS configuration data matches the layout of the updated BIOS configuration data, then determine that the present BIOS configuration data is valid;
• and
• if the layout of the present BIOS configuration data does not match the layout of the updated BIOS configuration data, then:
• determine that the present BIOS configuration data is invalid;
• and
• reset the present BIOS configuration data to a default state.

A method of detecting the validity of BIOS configuration data for a computer system, the method comprising:

• detecting a layout of present BIOS configuration data by computing a hash value from at least one data record in the layout of the present BIOS configuration data, the present BIOS configuration data being stored in a memory device in the computer system and wherein each data record comprises a pointer and a map position, the map position including the location of the at least one data record in the memory device;
• detecting a layout of updated BIOS configuration data, the updated BIOS configuration data being contained within program code comprising an updated BIOS configuration for the computer system;
• comparing the layout of the present BIOS configuration data to the layout of the updated BIOS configuration data;
• if the layout of the present BIOS configuration data matches the layout of the updated BIOS configuration data, then determining that the present BIOS configuration data is valid;
• if the layout of the present BIOS configuration data does not match the layout of the updated BIOS configuration data, then determining that the present BIOS configuration data is invalid;
• and
• resetting the present BIOS configuration data to a default state after determining that the present BIOS configuration data is invalid.

A method of detecting the validity of BIOS configuration data for a computer system, the method comprising:

• detecting a layout of present BIOS configuration data, the present BIOS configuration data being stored in a memory device in the computer system;
• detecting a layout of updated BIOS configuration data by computing a hash value from at least one data record in the layout of the updated BIOS configuration data, the updated BIOS configuration data being contained within program code comprising an updated BIOS configuration for the computer system, and wherein each data record comprises a pointer and a map position, the map position including the location of the at least one data record in the updated BIOS configuration data;
• comparing the layout of the present BIOS configuration data to the layout of the updated BIOS configuration data;
• if the layout of the present BIOS configuration data matches the layout of the updated BIOS configuration data, then determining that the present BIOS configuration data is valid;
• if the layout of the present BIOS configuration data does not match the layout of the updated BIOS configuration data, then determining that the present BIOS configuration data is invalid;
• and
• resetting the present BIOS configuration data to a default state after determining that the present BIOS configuration data is invalid.

A computer system for detecting the validity of computer BIOS configuration data, the system comprising:

• a first memory device for storing a program for detecting the validity of present BIOS configuration data stored in the computer system and for storing program code including updated BIOS configuration data for the computer system;
• a second memory device for storing the present BIOS configuration data;
• and
• a processor, functionally coupled to the first and second memory devices, the processor being responsive to computer-executable instructions contained in the program and operative to:
• detect a layout of the present BIOS configuration data by computing a hash value from at least one data record in the layout of the present BIOS configuration data, wherein each data record comprises a pointer and a map position, the map position including the location of the at least one data record in the second memory device;
• detect a layout of the updated BIOS configuration data;
• compare the layout of the present BIOS configuration data to the layout of the updated BIOS configuration data;
• if the layout of the present BIOS configuration data matches the layout of the updated BIOS configuration data, then determine that the present BIOS configuration data is valid;
• and
• if the layout of the present BIOS configuration data does not match the layout of the updated BIOS configuration data, then determine that the present BIOS configuration data is invalid and reset the present BIOS configuration data to a default state.

A computer system for detecting the validity of computer BIOS configuration data, the system comprising:

• a first memory device for storing a program for detecting the validity of present BIOS configuration data stored in the computer system and for storing program code including updated BIOS configuration data for the computer system;
• a second memory device for storing the present BIOS configuration data;
• and
• a processor, functionally coupled to the first and second memory devices, the processor being responsive to computer-executable instructions contained in the program and operative to:
• detect a layout of the present BIOS configuration data;
• detect a layout of the updated BIOS configuration data by computing a hash value from at least one data record in the layout of the updated BIOS configuration data, wherein each data record comprises a pointer and a map position, the map position including the location of the at least one data record in the updated BIOS configuration data;
• compare the layout of the present BIOS configuration data to the layout of the updated BIOS configuration data;
• if the layout of the present BIOS configuration data matches the layout of the updated BIOS configuration data, then determine that the present BIOS configuration data is valid;
• if the layout of the present BIOS configuration data does not match the layout of the updated BIOS configuration data, then determine that the present BIOS configuration data is invalid and reset the present BIOS configuration data to a default state.