Computer failure recovery and alert system

• US 5,390,324 A
• Filed: 10/02/1992
• Issued: 02/14/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Emerson, Theodore F., Dow, Randolph O., Perez, Lazaro D., Stimac, Gary A., Burckhartt, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Jr., Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, DIEU MINH T
• Application Number:
  US07/955,849
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 395/575, 395/650, 395/600, 371/19, 371/12, 371/11.3, 371/68.3, 371/16.3, 371/62, 371/16.1, 371/16.5, 371/17, 371/18, 380/4, 380/24, 380/25, 364/225, 364/240.8, 364/284, 364/221, 364/271
• US Class Current: 714/23
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0757 by exceeding a time limit, i.e. time-out, e.g. watchdogs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1415 at system level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/22 Detection or location of defective computer hardware by testing during standby operation or during idle time, e.g. start-up testing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4406 Loading of operating system
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/76 using address translation or modifications

Abstract

A computer system includes a timer which times out if the operating system of the computer system does not periodically reset the timer. When the computer system fails and no longer resets the timer, the timer times out, and the computer system is reset. The computer system performs its power,on program and checks the memory array for bad memory blocks, which are mapped out of the memory. Next, the computer system alerts the operator of the failure using a pager. The computer system then reboots itself from a hard drive having two separate bootable partitions, one for the operating system in the first partition, and one for a diagnostics program in the second partition, so that an operator may diagnose and remedy the problem. The operator may set an indication of which partition to use for booting. The computer system further provides for remote access so that the operator may interact with the diagnostics program from a remote location.

Claims

1. A failure recovery system for a computer system having a memory, comprising:

detection means for detecting a computer system failure;

reset means responsive to said detection means for generating a reset signal when a failure is detected, wherein said reset signal resets the computer system;

a hard drive connected to the computer system and having a plurality of bootable partitions, one partition containing a normal operating system and one partition containing a diagnostic program;

selection memory means storing a bootable partition selection; and

boot means connected to said hard drive, responsive to said reset signal to commence booting of the computer system from one of said plurality of bootable partitions on said hard drive and responsive to said selection memory means to select which of said plurality of bootable partitions is utilized to boot the computer system.

2. The failure recovery system of claim 1, wherein said detection means comprises:

a resettable timer that generates a system reset signal when said timer times out; and

means for periodically resetting said timer during normal operations of the computer system.

3. The failure recovery system of claim 2, wherein said detection means further comprises a masking circuit associated with said timer, wherein said masking circuit masks said system reset signal when said masking circuit is enabled, and said masking circuit is enabled after the computer system is power cycled.

4. The failure recovery system of claim 3, wherein said detection means further comprises means for disabling said masking circuit after the computer system has determined the reset cause.

5. The failure recovery system of claim 1, wherein the system operator wears a pager and the failure recovery system further comprises:

a modem connected to the computer system; and

means for causing said modem to communicate with the pager in response to said reset signal.

6. The failure recovery system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for allowing remote access to the computer system for receiving commands when the computer system is booted to said diagnostic program partition.

7. The failure recovery system of claim 6, wherein said means for allowing remote access includes:

a modem;

means for indicating an incoming or outgoing access; and

means for completing said indicated access direction.

8. The failure recovery system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for testing the memory of the computer system when said reset signal is generated due to a computer system failure;

means for logging faults found during the memory testing; and

means for deallocating memory found to have faults during the memory testing.