Method for ensuring correct sub-system bios for specified system

• US 20050283596A1
• Filed: 08/26/2005
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VIA Technologies Incorporated (VIA Technologies)
• Original Assignee: VIA Technologies Incorporated (VIA Technologies)
• Inventors: Chen, Ata, Pu, Simon, Yen, Macalas
• Granted Patent: US 7,475,236 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files

Abstract

A method for ensuring a correct sub-system BIOS for a specified system checks whether first identifying information associated with a system BIOS of the specified system is consistent with second identifying information associated with the sub-system BIOS upon initialization of the specified system. While a normal boot-up sequence is performed when the first identifying information is consistent with the second identifying information, a simplified boot-up sequence is performed to inform of incorrect sub-system BIOS when the first identifying information is inconsistent with the second identifying information. Following the second boot-up sequence, a warning message is given and then the specified system is halted.

Claims

1. A method for ensuring a correct sub-system BIOS for a specified system, comprising steps of:

checking whether first identifying information associated with a system BIOS of the specified system is consistent with second identifying information associated with said sub-system BIOS upon initialization of the specified system; and

halting the specified system if said first identifying information is inconsistent with said second identifying information.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising before said checking step a step of reading said first identifying information from a predetermined position of said system BIOS.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising steps of:

sending out a request for said first identifying information by the sub-system; and

transmitting said first identifying information from the specified system to the sub-system through an interrupt service in response to said request.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein said checking step is performed by a control unit disposed in the sub-system or the specified system.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein said checking step is performed by said sub-system BIOS.

6. The method according to claim 1 further comprising a step of executing a complete booting-up sequence if said first identifying information is consistent with said second identifying information.

7. The method according to claim 1 further comprising a step of executing a partial booting-up sequence before halting the specified system.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein said partial booting-up sequence is executed to give a warning message.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein said warning message is a visible message.

10. The method according to claim 8 wherein said warning message is an audible message.

11. The method according to claim 1 wherein the specified system is a computer system, and said sub-system BIOS is a video graphics array (VGA) BIOS.

12. The method according to claim 1 wherein each of said first and second identifying information includes names of client, product and/or project.

13. The method according to claim 1 wherein each of said first and second identifying information includes a section of verifying ASCII codes.

14. A method for ensuring a correct sub-system BIOS for a specified system, comprising steps of:

checking whether first identifying information associated with a system BIOS of the specified system is consistent with second identifying information associated with said sub-system BIOS upon initialization of the specified system;

performing a first boot-up sequence when said first identifying information is consistent with said second identifying information; and

performing a second boot-up sequence to inform of incorrect sub-system BIOS when said first identifying information is inconsistent with said second identifying information.

15. The method according to claim 14 further comprising a step of halting the specified system after said second boot-up sequence.

16. The method according to claim 14 further comprising a step of giving a warning message following said second boot-up sequence.

17. The method according to claim 14 wherein the specified system is a computer system, and said second boot-up sequence is a standard text mode.

18. The method according to claim 14 further comprising before said checking step a step of reading said first identifying information from a predetermined position of said system BIOS.

19. The method according to claim 14 further comprising steps of sending out a request for said first identifying information by the sub-system;

and transmitting said first identifying information from the specified system to the sub-system through an interrupt service in response to said request.

20. A method for checking consistency between a VGA BIOS of a VGA chip and a system BIOS of a computer system, comprising steps of:

sending out a request from the VGA chip to the computer system;

performing an interrupt service of the computer system to transmit first identifying information existing in said system BIOS to the VGA chip; and

comparing said first identifying information with second identifying information existing in said VGA BIOS to determine whether said VGA BIOS is consistent to said system BIOS.