System firmware back-up using a BIOS-accessible pre-boot partition
First Claim
1. A back-up device for a computer system, the computer system having a storage media with a back-up partition, the computer system adapted to execute a system BIOS, the back-up device comprising:
- a back-up driver that is adapted to;
detect changes to the system BIOS;
back up the system BIOS onto the back-up partition to create a back-up BIOS when changes to the system BIOS are detected; and
substitute the back-up BIOS for the system BIOS if the system BIOS is not operable.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The disclosed embodiments relate generally to providing cost-effective data integrity in computer systems and, more particularly, to providing a back-up for system firmware in a BIOS-accessible pre-boot environment. Back-up copies of a system BIOS or other firmware are placed on a partition that is accessible to the system BIOS prior to system boot. The back-up copy may be retrieved and loaded if the system BIOS becomes corrupted. Multiple back-up versions may be stored on the partition.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A back-up device for a computer system, the computer system having a storage media with a back-up partition, the computer system adapted to execute a system BIOS, the back-up device comprising:
a back-up driver that is adapted to;
detect changes to the system BIOS;
back up the system BIOS onto the back-up partition to create a back-up BIOS when changes to the system BIOS are detected; and
substitute the back-up BIOS for the system BIOS if the system BIOS is not operable. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A back-up device for a computer system, the computer system having a storage media with a back-up partition, the computer system adapted to execute a system BIOS, the back-up partition adapted to store at least one back-up version of the system BIOS, the back-up device comprising:
a boot manager that is adapted to;
display an indicia corresponding to each of the at least one back-up versions of the system BIOS;
responsive to input from a user, substitute a selected back-up version selected from the at least one back-up versions of the system BIOS for the system BIOS; and
reboot the computer system after substituting the selected back-up version for the system BIOS. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer system, the computer system comprising:
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a microprocessor that executes commands;
a core logic chipset that is connects to the microprocessor;
a user input device for providing user input to the microprocessor;
a system BIOS stored on a first storage media, the system BIOS being adapted to be executed by the microprocessor;
a second storage media connected to the core logic chipset, the storage media being adapted to store data for use by the microprocessor, the storage media having a back-up partition; and
a back-up driver that is adapted to;
detect changes to the system BIOS;
back up the system BIOS onto the back-up partition to create a back-up BIOS when changes to the system BIOS are detected; and
substitute the back-up BIOS for the system BIOS if the system BIOS does not execute correctly. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A computer system, the computer system comprising:
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a microprocessor that executes commands;
a core logic chipset that is connects to the microprocessor;
a user input device for providing user input to the microprocessor;
a system BIOS stored on a first storage media, the system BIOS being adapted to be executed by the microprocessor;
a second storage media connected to the core logic chipset, the storage media being adapted to store data for use by the microprocessor, the storage media having a back-up partition, the back-up partition being adapted to store at least one back-version of the system BIOS;
a boot manager that is adapted to;
display an indicia corresponding to each of the at least one back-up versions of the system BIOS;
responsive to input from a user, substitute a selected back-up version selected from the at least one back-up versions of the system BIOS for the system BIOS; and
reboot the computer system after substituting the selected back-up version for the system BIOS. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of updating a system BIOS in a computer system that is operating in a pre-boot environment in which the system BIOS has access to a back-up partition, the system BIOS being stored on a first storage media, the computer system having a second storage media that includes the back-up partition, the method comprising the acts of:
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detecting a change to the system BIOS;
backing up the system BIOS to the back-up partition to create a back-up BIOS in response to detecting a change to the system BIOS;
detecting whether the system BIOS is inoperable; and
replacing the system BIOS with the back-up BIOS in response to detecting whether the system BIOS is inoperable. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification