Methods and apparatus for configuring hardware resources in a pre-boot environment without requiring a system reset

• US 20040088531A1
• Filed: 10/30/2002
• Published: 05/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Rothman, Michael A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,237,102 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for configuring a hardware device in a pre-boot environment are disclosed. For example, a configuration manager is provided for use in a computer having a processor. The example configuration manager includes an interrupt monitoring agent in communication with a controller to monitor the computer and a driver manager in communication with the controller to load a driver. The configuration manager also includes a firmware interface database agent in communication with the controller to store a set of configuration data for the driver and a user interface in communication with the controller to provide a user with options to modify the set of configuration data.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a hardware device comprising:

loading a driver having a set of configuration data from a nonvolatile storage medium;

monitoring for a user initiated modification to the set of configuration data; and

determining if the modification to the set of configuration data requires a system reset or a re-initialization of the driver, prior to loading an operating system.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising calling a stop function for the hardware device to deconstruct all previous configuration settings for the hardware device if it is determined that the modification to the set of configuration data requires a re-initialization of the driver.

3. A method as defined in claim 2, further comprising calling a start function to re-initialize the hardware device based on the modification to the set of configuration data.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising performing the system reset if it is determined that the modification to the set of data requires the system reset.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising launching a firmware interface prior to loading the driver.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising determining if the modification to the set of configuration data requires neither the system reset nor the re-initialization of the driver.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising copying the set of configuration data for the driver to a firmware interface database.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein determining if the modification to the set of configuration data requires a system reset or a re-initialization of the driver comprises comparing the set of configuration data for the driver to a modified set of configuration data for the driver.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein determining if the modification to the set of configuration data requires the system reset or the re-initialization of the driver comprises setting a flag to indicate whether the modification to the set of configuration data requires the system reset or the re-initialization of the driver.

10. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein monitoring for the user initiated modification comprises prompting the user to modify a portion of the set of configuration data.

11. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising creating a queue of re-initializations to stop and restart a plurality of drivers.

12. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising monitoring for a plurality of user initiated modifications to one or more sets of configuration data;

determining if the modifications to the sets of configuration data require the system reset or the re-initialization of one or more drivers, prior to loading the operating system; and

performing the system reset if any of the plurality of modifications required the system reset.

13. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein loading the driver comprises retrieving the driver from the nonvolatile storage medium and relocating the driver to a RAM.

14. A method of configuring a hardware device comprising:

loading a driver having a set of configuration data from a nonvolatile storage medium;

monitoring for a user initiated modification to the set of configuration data;

determining if the modification to the set of configuration data requires a system reset or a re-initialization of the driver, prior to loading an operating system;

calling a stop function for the hardware device to deconstruct all previous configuration settings for the hardware device if it is determined that the modification to the set of configuration data requires a re-initialization of the driver;

calling a start function to re-initialize the hardware device based on the modification to the set of configuration data if it is determined that the modification to the set of configuration data requires a re-initialization of the driver; and

performing the system reset if it is determined that the modification to the set of data requires the system reset.

15. A method as defined in claim 14, further comprising launching a firmware interface prior to loading the driver.

16. A method as defined in claim 14, further comprising copying the set of configuration data for the driver to a firmware interface database.

17. A method as defined in claim 14, wherein determining if the modification to the set of configuration data requires a system reset or a re-initialization of the driver comprises comparing the set of configuration data for the driver to a modified set of configuration data for the driver.

18. A method as defined in claim 14, wherein determining if the modification to the set of configuration data requires the system reset or the re-initialization of the driver comprises setting a flag to indicate whether the modification to the set of configuration data requires the system reset or the re-initialization of the driver.

19. A method as defined in claim 14, wherein monitoring for the user initiated modification comprises prompting the user to modify a portion of the set of configuration data.

20. A method as defined in claim 14, further comprising creating a queue of re-initializations to stop and restart a plurality of drivers.

21. A method as defined in claim 14, further comprising monitoring for a plurality of user initiated modifications to one or more sets of configuration data;

determining if the modifications to the sets of configuration data require the system reset or the re-initialization of one or more drivers, prior to loading the operating system; and

performing the system reset if any of the plurality of modifications required the system reset.

22. For use in a computer having a processor, a pre-boot configuration manager apparatus comprising:

a controller;

an interrupt monitoring agent in communication with the controller to monitor the computer before an operating system is loaded;

a driver manager in communication with the controller to load a driver before the operating system is loaded;

a firmware interface database agent in communication with the controller to store a set of configuration data for the driver before the operating system is loaded; and

a user interface in communication with the controller to provide a user with an option to modify the set of configuration data before the operating system is loaded.

23. An apparatus as defined in claim 22 wherein the interrupt monitoring agent monitors the computer for a user initiated interrupt of the boot process.

24. An apparatus as defined in claim 22 wherein the driver manager loads the driver from a nonvolatile storage medium.

25. An apparatus as defined in claim 22 wherein the controller determines if a modification to the set of configuration data requires a system reset or a re-initialization of the driver.

26. An apparatus as defined in claim 22 wherein the driver manager deconstructs all previous configuration settings for the hardware device and re-initializes the hardware device, if it is determined that the modification to the set of configuration data requires a re-initialization of the driver.

27. An apparatus as defined in claim 22 wherein the controller performs a system reset if it determines that the modification to the set of data requires the system reset.

28. An article comprising a machine-accessible medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

load a driver having a set of configuration data from a nonvolatile storage medium;

monitor for a user initiated modification to the set of configuration data; and

determine, prior to loading an operating system, if the modification to the set of configuration data requires a system reset or a re-initialization of the driver.

29. The article of claim 28 having further instructions that, when executed by the machine, cause the machine to call a stop function for the hardware device to deconstruct all previous configuration settings for the hardware device if it is determined that the modification to the set of configuration data requires the re-initialization of the driver.

30. The article of claim 29 having further instructions that, when executed by the machine, cause the machine to call a start function to re-initialize the hardware device based on the modification to the set of configuration data.

31. The article of claim 28 having further instructions that, when executed by the machine, cause the machine to perform the system reset if it is determined that the modification to the set of data requires the system reset.

32. The article of claim 28 having further instructions that, when executed by the machine, cause the machine to launch a firmware interface prior to loading the driver.

33. The article of claim 28 having further instructions that, when executed by the machine, cause the machine to determine if the modification to the set of configuration data requires neither the system reset nor the re-initialization of the driver.

34. The article of claim 28 having further instructions that, when executed by the machine, cause the machine to copy the set of configuration data for the driver to a firmware interface database.

35. The article of claim 28 having further instructions that, when executed by the machine, cause the machine to compare the set of configuration data for the driver to a modified set of configuration data for the driver.

36. The article of claim 28 having further instructions that, when executed by the machine, cause the machine to set a flag to indicate whether the modification to the set of configuration data requires the system reset or the re-initialization of the driver.

37. The article of claim 28 having further instructions that, when executed by the machine, cause the machine to create a queue of re-initializations to stop and restart a plurality of drivers.

38. The article of claim 28 having further instructions that, when executed by the machine, cause the machine to monitor for a plurality of user initiated modifications to one or more sets of configuration data;

determine if the modifications to the sets of configuration data require the system reset or the re-initialization of one or more drivers, prior to loading the operating system; and

perform the system reset if any of the plurality of modifications required the system reset.