International Business Machines Corporation

Doyle S Cronk

Richard Alan Dayan

Richard Bealkowski

John W Blackledge, Jr

Robert Sachsenmaier

Kevin M Zyvoloski

Matthew S Palka, Jr

Scott G Kinnear

George D Kovach

Douglas R Geisler

Kenneth D Smeltzer

Matthew T Mittelstedt

John D Paul

Lisa R Arnold

Peter A Woytovech

Jay H Neer

Andrew B McNeill

Jerry D Dixon

Edward I Wachtel

An apparatus and method for loading BIOS from a diskette drive into a personal computer system normally connected to a hardfile, such as a fixed disk. The personal computer system further includes a system processor, a random access main memory, a read only memory and a switching means. The switching means generates a signal to indicate a mode for whether BIOS loads from either diskette or disk. In a priority mode, BIOS loads immediately from diskette. In a recovery mode, BIOS loads from diskette after testing the disk subsystem.

Apparatus and method for loading BIOS from a diskette in a personal

An apparatus for loading BIOS stored on a direct access storage device in a personal computer system, the system comprising direct access storage device, and a processor card removably mounted to a planar board. The processor card comprises a system processor and ROM memory, while the planar board includes a main memory. A master boot record is stored on the direct access storage device. The master boot record contains a data segment and an executable code segment, the data segment representing the hardware configuration of the personal computer system. A first portion of BIOS included in the ROM memory initializes the system and causes loading of the master boot record into main memory. This first portion of BIOS further compares the hardware configuration data of the master boot record with the hardware configuration data in the ROM memory to verify compatibility with the system processor. Once compatibility of the master boot record with the system processor is verified, the first portion of BIOS transfers control to an executable code segment of the master boot record to effect loading of the remaining portion of BIOS into main memory, and the first portion of BIOS is discarded.

Bios load for a personal computer system having a removable processor

A personal computer system according to the present invention comprises a system processor, a random access memory, a read only memory, and at least one direct access storage device. A direct access storage device controller coupled between the system processor and direct access storage device includes a protection mechanism for protecting a region of the storage device. The protected region of the storage device includes a master boot record, a BIOS image and a system reference diskette image. The BIOS image includes a section known as Power on Self Test (POST). POST is used to test and initialize a system. Upon detecting any configuration error, system utilities from the system reference diskette image, such as set configuration programs, diagnostic programs and utility programs can be automatically activated from the direct access storage device.

Apparatus and method for loading a system reference diskette image from

An apparatus and method for loading BIOS stored on a direct access storage device into a personal computer system. The personal computer system comprises a system processor, a system planar, a random access main memory, a read only memory, and at least one direct access storage device. The first portion of BIOS initializes the system and the direct access storage device to read in a master boot record into the system from the direct access storage device. The master boot record includes a data segment and an executable code segment. The first BIOS portion vectors the system processor to execute the executable code segment of the master boot record. The executable code segment loads in the remaining BIOS portion from the direct access storage device into random access memory.

Initial BIOS load for a personal computer system

An apparatus and method for decreasing the memory requirements of BIOS in a personal computer system includes storing a first portion of BIOS in memory and a second portion on a direct storage access device. The personal computer system comprises a system processor, a random access main memory, a read only memory, and at least one direct access storage device. The first portion of BIOS only includes routines for initializing the system and the direct access storage device to read in a master boot record into the system from the direct access storage device. The master boot record includes a data segment and an executable code segment. The first BIOS portion vectors the system processor to execute the executable code segment of the master boot record. The executable code segment loads in the remaining BIOS portion from the direct access storage device into random access memory superseding the first BIOS portion.

Apparatus and method for decreasing the memory requirements for BIOS in

An apparatus and method for protecting BIOS stored on a direct access storage device into a personnal computer system. The personal computer system comprises a system processor, a system planar, a random access main memory, a read only memory, a protection means and at least one direct access storage device. The read only memory includes a first portion of BIOS and data representing the type of system processor and system planar I/O configuration. The first portion of BIOS initializes the system and the direct access storage device, and resets the protection means in order to read in a master boot record into the random access memory from a protectable partition on the direct access storage device.

Apparatus and method for preventing unauthorized access to BIOS in a

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Boca Raton, FL, United States of America

Doyle S Cronk