Dell Products Inc.

Dell USA L P

Susan Adele Nunn

Lowell B Dennis

Peter A Woytovech

Brian J Decker

MyPhuong NguyenPhu

An information handling system includes a processor, a storage medium coupled to the processor, and a program stored in the storage medium and executable by the processor. The program is for causing the processor to, in response to a boot event, detect that a device is not present in the information handling system where the device was present in the information handling system during a prior boot event or detect a device that is present but was not present during a prior boot event. The program is also for causing the processor to access a list that indicates a boot order where the list is stored in the storage medium prior to the boot event and including an entry associated with each bootable device. The program is further for causing the processor to store an indicator in the entry where the indicator indicates that the device is dormant or to replace a dormant device in the boot order with a newly present device of the same type.

System and method for preserving boot order in an information handling system when a boot device is replaced by a matching device

A method for limiting the duration of EIDE hard drive diagnostic testing to a predetermined length of time is described. When queried by the BIOS to acquire the testing capabilities of an EIDE hard drive in a computer, the support or non-support of extended diagnostic testing and the length of time needed to complete such testing is returned to the BIOS. In a preferred embodiment, upon receipt of the aforementioned information, the BIOS examines the length of time needed to complete the testing and then allows the testing to begin only if the length of time is less than some predetermined length of time, e.g., one hour. If the length of time is greater than the predetermined length of time, the user is informed that the extended diagnostic testing would take longer than the predetermined length of time and the test is aborted.

Method for limiting diagnostic testing duration

A method and computer for locally and remotely updating a BIOS using one update file that contains a local update program and a BIOS image. To locally update a client's BIOS, the system administrator can run the update file. To locally update program would then write the BIOS image to the client's computer memory thereby completing the local update. If, however, the system administrator wishes to remotely update the client's BIOS, the update file is run using an input parameter (such as a command line switch). This action causes the local update program to create a file containing the BIOS image with a header. Using this file, a remote update program writes the BIOS image to the client's computer memory.

Method and computer for locally and remotely updating a basic input output system (BIOS) utilizing one update file

A method and computer system for a system setup program includes a routine for displaying a subset of bootable devices from an adapter card, such as a PERC card, on a system from which a user may specify a bootable device to serve as a boot drive, and bootable devices to serve as alternative boot drives. The computer system includes a system Basic Input/Output System (BIOS), a system processor, a system memory coupled to the system processor, at least one expansion slot coupled to the system processor via a bus, at least one adapter coupled to the computer system via the at least one expansion slot, and a system BIOS ROM code. The BIOS ROM code detects a plurality of bootable devices on the computer system, selects from the plurality of bootable devices a preselected number of bootable devices for display, and displays the subset of bootable devices on a setup display. The setup display allows a user to specify a bootable device to serve as a boot drive of the computer system. The method includes detecting a plurality of bootable devices on the computer system, selecting from the plurality of bootable devices a preselected number of bootable devices for display, and displaying the subset of bootable devices on a setup display. The setup display allows a user to specify a bootable device to serve as a boot drive from the computer system.

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Susan Adele Nunn