Method for bootstrap loading in a data processing system comprising searching a plurality of program source devices for a bootstrap program if initial data indicating a bootstrap program source device fails a validity check

• US 5,247,659 A
• Filed: 09/15/1992
• Issued: 09/21/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Computers Limited (Fujitsu Limited)
• Original Assignee: International Computers Limited (Fujitsu Limited)
• Inventors: Curran, Michael W. B., Pierkarski, Marek S., Taylor, Richard N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Loomis, John C.
• Application Number:
  US07/946,036
• Time in Patent Office: 371 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200, 395/425, 395/575, 395/650, 395/700, 395/725, 364/DIG. 1, 364/DIG. 2
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4408 Boot device selection

Abstract

A data processing system comprises a plurality of processing modules, and a central services module, connected by a system bus. Details of the expected system configuration and of a normal bootstrap load path are held in a non-volatile store. On power-up or system restart, the non volatile store is tested. If the test is satisfactory, a defined bootstrap procedure is executed; otherwise an undefined bootstrap procedure is performed. The defined bootstrap procedure compares the expected configuration with the actual system configuration. If they match, the bootstrap program is loaded from the normal load path. If they do not match, the undefined bootstrap procedure may be entered. In the undefined bootstrap procedure, the central services module searches for possible bootstrap load paths and attempts a load from one of these paths. The defined bootstrap is expected to be the normal procedure, and is faster. The undefined bootstrap is entered automatically whenever it appears that the non-volatile store has not been set up, and provides a way of loading the system without any bootstrap load path having to be specified.

Claims

1. A data processing system comprising:

(a) a plurality of data processing modules,

(b) a plurality of program source devices respectively connected to said data processing modules,

(c) a central services module connected to all said data processing modules, the central services module including;

(i) a non-volatile memory for holding information identifying a predetermined one of said program source devices connected to a predetermined one of said data processing modules as a source of a bootstrap program,

(ii) means for performing a said information held in check on said non-volatile memory, said check comprising determining if said information is valid information,

(iii) means operative in the event that said check determines that said information comprises valid information, for instructing said predetermined one of said data processing modules to load said bootstrap program from said predetermined one of said program source devices, and

(iv) means operative in the event that said check determined that said information comprises invalid information, for searching all of said program source devices for a bootstrap program and, when a bootstrap program is found in a particular one of said program source devices connected to a particular one of said data processing modules, instructing said particular one of said data processing modules to load said bootstrap program from said particular one of said program source devices.