Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.p.

Edmund Heller

Craig L Chaiken

Stanley Stanart

Either a backup BIOS or a main BIOS in a non-volatile memory is used to fully boot a computer system, depending on the validity of the main BIOS, successful prior booting using the main BIOS, or the validity of the CMOS settings. Unlike the boot block procedure, in either case, the computer system becomes fully operational. A count is made indicating the number of times booting is retried with the main BIOS. If a predetermined count value is reached, the main BIOS is invalid, or CMOS is invalid, then booting is completed using the backup BIOS. If the predetermined count value is not reached, a jump is made from the end of the BIOS validation code to an entry point in the main BIOS of the non-volatile memory to continue booting using the main BIOS. The backup BIOS is stored in a permanent protected portion of the non-volatile memory and the main BIOS is stored in a flashable portion of the non-volatile memory. The number of contiguous or non-contiguous blocks of the non-volatile memory used to store the backup BIOS and the main BIOS will depend on the specific architecture of the non-volatile memory. In one embodiment, the backup BIOS and the main BIOS are stored each in single contiguous blocks of the non-volatile memory. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the backup BIOS and the main BIOS are stored each in a plurality of individually contiguous or non-contiguous blocks of the non-volatile memory.

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Spring, TX, United States of America

Edmund Heller