Method of using feature flags to determine compatibility between bios revisions and installed hardware during flash update

• US 20050081024A1
• Filed: 10/10/2003
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Mathew, George, Khatri, Mukund Purshottam, Askari, Foad
• Granted Patent: US 7,487,345 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/64 Retargetable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

The present invention provides a BIOS having two sets of flags. The first set of flags is the build capability flags. The second set of flags is the boot capability flags. Each of the flags can be stored as a value through the combination of bits that make up the flags and are stored in, for example, a register. The one or more values that make up the build capability flags can be compared to the one or more values that make up the boot capability flags. The current BIOS is updateable with a BIOS version that also has a build capability flag and a current boot capability flag. More specifically, the BIOS is updateable if the replacement build capability flags enable the booting of an information system having current build capability. For example, an update of the BIOS will only occur if the value of the updated build capability flags is greater than or equal to the value of the current boot capability flags. The comparison ensures that the features needed for current operation of the information handling system are present in the updated BIOS, and thus, that the updated BIOS will not preclude operation of the information handling system as it is currently configured.

Claims

1. An information handling system having one or more central processing units operative with main memory, said information handling system further comprising:

a present BIOS operative with said one or more central processing units, said present BIOS having one or more build capability flags and one or more current boot capability flags;

wherein, when said present BIOS is updated with a replacement BIOS, replacement build capability flags of said replacement BIOS can be compared to said current boot capability flags of said present BIOS to determine if said replacement BIOS can be used in place of said present BIOS.

2. The information handling system according to claim 1, wherein each of said flags form a value.

3. The information handling system according to claim 2, wherein said value is an 8-bit value.

4. The information handling system according to claim 2, wherein said value is a 16-bit value.

5. The information handling system according to claim 2, wherein said value is a 32-bit value.

6. The information handling system according to claim 2, wherein said value is a 64-bit value.

7. The information handling system according to claim 2, wherein said value is a 128-bit value.

8. The information handling system according to claim 2, wherein said replacement BIOS can be used in place of said present BIOS when a value of said replacement build capability flags is greater than a value of said current boot capability flags.

9. The information handling system according to claim 2, wherein said replacement BIOS can be used in place of said present BIOS when a value of said replacement build capability flags is less than a value of said current boot capability flags

10. The information handling system according to claim 2, wherein said replacement BIOS can be used in place of said present BIOS when a value of said replacement build capability flags is equal to a value of said current boot capability flags.

11. The information handling system according to claim 2, wherein said replacement BIOS can be used in place of said present BIOS when a value of said replacement build capability flags is greater than or equal to a value of said current boot capability flags.

12. The information handling system according to claim 2, wherein said replacement BIOS can be used in place of said present BIOS when a value of said replacement build capability flags is less than or equal to a value of said current boot capability flags.

13. A method of updating a BIOS comprising:

a) providing a present BIOS having one or more current build capability flags and one or more current boot capability flags;

b) providing a replacement BIOS having one or more replacement build capability flags and one or more replacement boot capability flags; and

c) comparing said replacement build capability flags to said current boot capability flags to determine whether said updating is allowed.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said current boot capability flags are equated to a current boot capability value.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein said replacement build capability flags are equated to a replacement build capability value.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said updating is allowed when said replacement build capability value is greater than said current boot capability value.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein said updating is allowed when said replacement build capability value is equal to said current boot capability value.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein said updating is allowed when said replacement build capability value is less than said current boot capability value.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein said updating is allowed when said replacement build capability value is greater than or equal to said current boot capability value.

20. The method according to claim 15, wherein said updating is allowed when said replacement build capability value is less than or equal to said current boot capability value.

21. The method according to claim 13, wherein each of said flags are grouped to form a value.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein said value is a 8-bit value.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein said value is a 16-bit value.

24. The method according to claim 21, wherein said value is a 32-bit value.

25. The method according to claim 21, wherein said value is a 64-bit value.

26. The method according to claim 21, wherein said value is a 128-bit value.

27. An computer system having one or more central processing units operative with main memory, said information handling system further comprising:

a) present BIOS means having one or more current build capability flags and one or more current boot capability flags;

b) replacement BIOS means having one or more replacement build capability flags and one or more replacement boot capability flags; and

c) comparison means for comparing said replacement build capability flags to said current boot capability flags to determine whether said updating is allowed.