Personal computer employing reset button to enter ROM-based diagnostics
First Claim
1. A system for providing a user-invocable, non disk-based diagnostic routine for a personal computer, comprising:
- main memory within said personal computer, said main memory storing a first diagnostics routine capable of performing diagnostic tests on portions of said personal computer; and
a microprocessor CPU coupled to said main memory and within said personal computer, said CPU monitoring a status of a reset button coupled to said CPU, said CPU executing said first diagnostics routine when said reset button is pressed twice within a preselected period of time, said CPU rebooting said personal computer and executing a second diagnostics routine when said reset button is pressed only once within said preselected period of time.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed are a system and method for providing user-invocable, non disk-based diagnostics routines for a personal computer. The method comprises the steps of (1) storing a diagnostics routine capable of performing diagnostic tests on portions of the personal computer in ROM, (2) monitoring a status of a reset button coupled to the personal computer and (3) executing the diagnostics routine if the reset button is pressed twice within a preselected period of time. The disclosed system and method allow a user to control the invocation of a diagnostics routine that needs a minimum of functioning computer hardware to execute.
46 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A system for providing a user-invocable, non disk-based diagnostic routine for a personal computer, comprising:
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main memory within said personal computer, said main memory storing a first diagnostics routine capable of performing diagnostic tests on portions of said personal computer; and a microprocessor CPU coupled to said main memory and within said personal computer, said CPU monitoring a status of a reset button coupled to said CPU, said CPU executing said first diagnostics routine when said reset button is pressed twice within a preselected period of time, said CPU rebooting said personal computer and executing a second diagnostics routine when said reset button is pressed only once within said preselected period of time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system for providing a user-invocable, non disk-based diagnostic routine for a personal computer, comprising:
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means for storing a first diagnostics routine capable of performing diagnostic test on portions of said personal computer; and means, coupled to said storing means, for monitoring a status of a reset button and executing said first diagnostics routine when said reset button is pressed twice within a preselected period of time, said monitoring means rebooting said personal computer and executing a second diagnostics routine when said reset button is pressed only once within said preselected period of time. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of providing a user-invocable, non disk-based diagnostic routine for a personal computer, comprising the steps of:
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storing a first diagnostics routine capable of performing diagnostic tests on portions of said personal computer; storing a second diagnostics routine on said personal computer; monitoring a status of a reset button coupled to said personal computer; executing said first diagnostics routine when said reset button is pressed twice within a preselected period of time; and executing said second diagnostic routine when said reset button is pressed once. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of providing a user-invocable, non disk-based diagnostic routine for a personal computer, comprising the steps of:
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detecting when a reset button coupled to said personal computer has been depressed; initializing a timeout counter with a preselected value representing a preselected period of time within which said reset button must again be depressed to invoke said diagnostics routine; pausing to detect a second depression of said reset button until said timeout counter times out; executing said diagnostics routine if said reset button is depressed a second time before said timeout counter times out; and rebooting said personal computer if said timeout counter times out without said reset button having been depressed said second time. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A computer system, comprising:
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read-only memory within said system for storing embedded diagnostics routines; a reset button capable of transmitting a signal to a reset circuit within said system when said button is depressed; a timeout counter, coupled to said circuit, capable of being initialized and decremented to count a preselected period of time, said system (1) executing said diagnostics routines if said button is depressed a second time within said preselected period of time and (2) initiating a hardware reset of said system if said preselected period of time passes without said button having been depressed said second time; a CPU, coupled to said read-only memory and said circuit, capable of accessing said read-only memory to retrieve and execute said embedded diagnostics routines if said button is depressed said second time within said preselected period of time; a video monitor coupled to said CPU capable of displaying information to a user concerning operation of said diagnostics routines; and a bus controller within said system and coupled to said CPU for setting said CPU and other components within said system to a reset state when said preselected period of time passes without said button having been depressed said second time.
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Specification