International Business Machines Corporation

Michael Youhour Lim

John Steven Langford

George Henry Ahrens, Jr

George John Dawkins

Joel Gerald Goodwin

Stuart Allen Werbner

James Stephen Fields, Jr

Kevin Franklin Reick

Alongkorn Kitamorn

Chetan Mehta

Andrew Henry Wottreng

Marc Dickenson

Gary Dean Anderson

Paul Edward Movall

Brent William Jacobs

David Lee Randall

Maulin Ishwarbhai Patel

Sheldon Ray Bailey

Michael Anton Barenys

Hemlata Nellimarla

John C Kennel

Yi-Ming Ku

William Eldred Beebe

Thomas Joseph Warne

Stephanie Maria Forsman

Michael Alan Kobler

Anirban Chatterjee

Chet Mehta

Timothy Lee Toohey

Thomas Francis Ploski

Daniel John Ribbentrop, Sr

Disclosed are a method, system and computer program product for determining hardware diagnostics during initial program loading (IPL). A space is allocated for a diagnostics hardware table storing hardware identifications corresponding to hardware to be tested. A hardware monitor function detects new and/or defective hardware. Hardware can be manually selected. A runtime diagnostics detects defective hardware. The hardware identifications corresponding to the new, failing, and/or selected hardware are added to the diagnostics hardware table. The hardware identification to be tested is acquired during the building of a system Hardware Objects Model (HOM). A diagnostics flag is set within HOM according to the diagnostics hardware table. Diagnostics are performed per HOM diagnostics flag indication. The diagnostics table is cleared, and the operating system is run. At system runtime, diagnostics code monitors for runtime error. If an error is detected but cannot be isolated to defective hardware, the suspected hardware identification will be added to diagnostics hardware table so that it can be verified on the next system IPL.

Hardware diagnostics determination during initial program loading

A method, computer program product, and a data processing system for generating a data dump in a data processing system is provided. A system boot of the data processing system is initialized. A firmware that includes fault collection logic is executed. A data dump is created in a persistent storage of the data processing system. An attempt is made to complete the system boot of the data processing system.

Method, data processing system, and computer program product for collecting first failure data capture information

A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for determining validity of and updating a microcode image. Responsive to initiation of an update process, a first validity indicator is checked to determine whether a first microcode image in the memory is valid. In response to the first microcode image being valid, a second validity indicator is set indies, to indicate that a second microcode image is invalid, and the update process is allowed to update the second microcode image to form an updated microcode image. A determination is made as to whether the updated microcode image is valid. The second validity indicator is set to indicate that the updated microcode is valid if the updated image is valid. The second validity indicator is checked during booting of a data processing system. If the second validity indicator is valid, the updated microcode will be loaded.

Method and apparatus for updating a microcode image in a memory

Method apparatus, and computer instructions for updating a flash memory. Information regarding the flash memory, for example, configuration and size information, is determined, and the determined information is then used to apply a code update to the flash memory. The invention allows for the same update program or tool to be used for data processing systems with different sizes or configurations of flash memories.

Method and apparatus for auto-detection of a configuration of a flash memory

An improved process for executing a dump is provided. The iteration loops are made 'smart' by allowing them to determine how big the arrays are on the fly and adjust their behavior accordingly. The process uses a function to calculate the amount of memory to allocate for the dump list based on the dump mode and array sizes. Thus, if the static arrays are modified to add or delete constants or the diagnostic code is in an abbreviated dump mode, the amount of memory to be allocated will be calculated accurately.

Dynamic sizing logic for dump list generation

A computer for implementing a method for conditionally capturing hardware scan dump data to minimize the reboot recovery time employs a service processor operable to detect a failure of another hardware component of the computer. Upon detection, the service processor will conditionally capture hardware scan dump data. The first condition for capturing hardware scan dump data is the service processor being activated into an active storing mode of operation labeled 'Always'. The second condition for capturing hardware scan dump data is the service processor being activated to a reactive storing mode of operation labeled 'As Needed' and the error causing the operational failure being a type of error where hardware scan dump data is needed or desired by a system engineer in correcting the operational failure. By conditionally capturing hardware scan dump data, the amount of data being processed over multiple failures of the computer is minimized.

Conditional hardware scan dump data capture

A method, apparatus, and computer implemented instructions for processing an error in a multiprocessor data processing system. An error is detected within the data processing system. A chip, causing the error, is identified within a plurality of chips to form an identified chip. Data is collected from the identified chip and hardware associated with the identified chip.

Method and apparatus for reducing hardware scan dump data

A method of de-allocating multiple processor cores sharing a failing bank of memory is disclosed. The method allows new multiple-processor integrated circuits with on-chip shared memory to be de-allocated using existing technology designed for use with single-processor integrated circuit technology.

Method of de-allocating multiple processor cores for an L2 correctable error

A method for locating a defective component in a data processing system during system startup is disclosed. Each component within the data processing system is assigned a location code. Then, a progress code is associated with a location code and a function being loaded to, tested, or executed in a component. After supplying power to the data processing system, the components of the data processing system are initialized and tested to establish a configuration. During the initialization and testing, a location code of a component and a corresponding progress code are displayed on a display panel. In response to a system hang, a defective component can be identified utilizing the location code and the progress code displayed on the display panel.

Method and apparatus for locating and displaying a defective component in a data processing system during a system startup using location and progress codes associated with the component

A method and apparatus for storing and using chipset built-in self-test (BIST) signatures is provided. A BIST for a chip in a data processing system may be initiated by a power-on-reset in the data processing system. The BIST signature generated during the BIST is compared with a predetermined BIST signature stored in a vital products data (VPD) module associated with the chip is read. A difference between the generated BIST signature and the predetermined BIST signature is then reported.

Method and apparatus for storing and using chipset built-in self-test signatures

A method and apparatus for detecting an error condition during initialization of a multiprocessor data processing system is provided. A master processor identification indicator is initialized to an initial value by a service processor in the data processing system. The master processor identification indicator may be a location in nonvolatile RAM to protect data integrity. One of the plurality of processors in the multiprocessor system is selected to be the master processor by being released by the service processor and winning the &ldquo;race condition&rdquo; to fetch the first instruction from memory for program execution. This processor then sets the master processor identification indicator to a unique processor identification value. The initial value may be a spoof number indicating whether the master processor has yet written its unique processor identification value. At some later point in time, the service processor detects a freeze or hang condition in the data processing system. The service processor reads the value of the master processor identification indicator and reports the value of the master processor identification indicator to indicate which processor among the plurality of processors in the data processing system was selected as the master processor prior to the detection of the hang condition.

Method and apparatus for problem identification during initial program load in a multiprocessor system

A computer system including a central processing unit and a system memory accessible to the central processing unit via a host bus. A primary non-volatile storage element and a backup non-volatile storage element are incorporated into the system's motherboard. The primary non-volatile storage element contains the system's boot code that is executed following a reset or power on event. The backup non-volatile storage element contains a restoration sequence that is suitable for reprogramming a first portion of the boot code in the primary non-volatile storage element. A jumper block on the motherboard determines which of the non-volatile storage elements is initially addressed following a power on event. Preferably, the first portion of the boot code comprises the system's boot block or gold code and includes a sequence for downloading and reprogramming remaining portions of the boot code. The primary non-volatile storage element is preferably implemented as a multiple sector flash memory device. In one embodiment, the gold code is stored in a first sector of the flash module and the update code is stored in remaining sectors.

Gold code backup for corrupt boot code recovery

A data processing system and method for sharing a component of the data processing system between multiple resources are disclosed. According to the method, at least one query is transmitted from a first resource to a second resource. In response to receipt of the query by the second resource, a reply is transmitted from the second resource to the first resource. The reply indicates that the second resource has an active communication session through a particular communication port controlled by the shared component. In response to receipt of the reply by the first resource, a transfer command is transmitted from the first resource to the second resource. In response to receipt of the transfer command by the second resource, control of the component is transferred from the second resource to the first resource while maintaining the active communication session. In one embodiment, the first and second resources are software resources, and the shared component is a universal asynchronous receiver transmitter (UART) that drives a serial communication port.

Growing community of inventors

Leander, TX, United States of America

Michael Youhour Lim