American Megatrends International, LLC

American Megatrends, Inc.

Bejean David Mosher

Senthamizhsey Subramanian

Rodney Grant

Igor Kulchytskyy

Feliks Polyudov

Srinivasan Narayana Rao

Sey Subramanian

Technologies are disclosed herein for updating a firmware file system (FFS) file by preserving the original FFS file in its current firmware volume and then storing an updated version of the original FFS file in a firmware volume for updated FFS files. The updated FFS file may be stored in the firmware volume for updated FFS files referenced to the same FFS file identifier as the original FFS file. During boot-up of a system incorporating the updated firmware, the firmware volume for updated FFS files may be accessed to determine if an updated version of any FFS files are present. If updated FFS files are present, then those updated FFS files may be executed, rather than the original FFS files.

Firmware updates using updated firmware files in a dedicated firmware volume

A firmware settings data structure and a settings mapping table for a first firmware are stored in a non-volatile memory. A second firmware settings data structure and a second settings mapping table for a second firmware are also stored. An entry is selected in the second firmware settings mapping table. A search is made of the first settings mapping table for an entry having an identifier that is the same as an identifier in the selected entry in the second firmware settings mapping table. If a matching entry is located, a value in the first firmware settings data structure identified by the entry in the first firmware settings mapping table is copied to the second firmware settings data structure. If a matching entry is not found in the first firmware settings data structure, a default value for the firmware setting is stored in the second firmware settings data structure.

Intelligent migration of firmware configuration settings

A computing device includes a processor, a volatile memory, and a non-volatile memory. The computing device receives a firmware update that includes updated firmware runtime components, such as updated runtime interrupt handlers (e.g. SMI handlers). The computing device stores the updated firmware runtime components in the volatile memory (e.g. RAM) of the device. The computing device also causes the updated firmware runtime components stored in the volatile memory to be used during the runtime of the computing device instead of one or more other firmware runtime components previously stored in the volatile memory. For example, the contents of one or more interrupt routing tables can be adjusted such that updated runtime interrupt handlers stored in volatile memory are used instead of previously installed and potentially insecure runtime interrupt handlers. On a subsequent reboot of the computing device, updated firmware runtime components stored in the non-volatile memory will be utilized.

Updating firmware runtime components

Technologies are disclosed herein that allow for utilization of memory channel storage ('MCS') devices in a computing system. The MCS device may be detected during a boot phase of the computing system, and the address data for the MCS device may be detected through repeated manipulation of a logical offset. The address data may then be stored for later use in memory allocation.

Memory channel storage device detection

Non-destructive update of discrete firmware components of a firmware is provided. During a boot-up process, the availability of an update for the firmware can be determined prior to execution thereof. To that end, a controller device can be queried for availability of the update and, when the update is available, a processor that executes the firmware as part of the boot-up process can retrieve an updated version of one or more components of the firmware from a virtual drive device provided by the controller device. The processor can retain such component(s) in a main memory device. The processor can then execute the component(s) from the main memory and can execute other non-updated component(s) of the firmware from a non-volatile memory device that retains the firmware. Therefore, the firmware can be updated during the boot-up process, without changing the contents of the non-volatile memory device.

Non-destructive update of discrete components of firmware

Technologies are disclosed herein for launching updated firmware file system (FFS) files of an updated firmware. Original FFS files may be stored in a first firmware volume and updates to any of the original FFS files may be stored as updated FFS files in a second firmware volume. When booting up a computer system with an original FFS file and a corresponding updated FFS file, either the original FFS file or the updated FFS file may be executed based at least in part on an indication of the updated FFS file in one of either a black list or a launch list. The first time a computer system is boot up after storing an updated FFS file in the second firmware volume, the updated FFS file may be executed to determine whether the execution of the updated FFS file warrants inclusion in either the black list or the launch list.

Launching updated firmware files stored in a dedicated firmware volume

Technologies are disclosed herein that allow for utilization of memory channel storage ('MCS') devices in a computing system. The address range for the MCS device may be reserved during an initial boot phase of the computing system, even if the MCS is not fully accessible during the initial boot phase, due to storage of prior MCS address data in non-volatile memory. If changes to the address are detected in a later boot phase, the stored information may be updated and a reboot requested.

Growing community of inventors

Acworth, GA, United States of America

Bejean David Mosher