Computer failure recovery and alert system

• US 5,596,711 A
• Filed: 01/26/1995
• Issued: 01/21/1997
• 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): DECADY, ALBERT
• Application Number:
  US08/390,499
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: 395/181, 395/182.13, 395/182.14, 395/182.18, 395/182.21, 395/185.01, 395/185.08, 395/183.12, 395/700, 364/260.8, 364/280.2, 364/280.3
• 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 system further provides for remote access so that the operator may interact with the diagnostics program from a remote location.

Claims

1. A computer system, comprising:

a host bus;

a processor coupled to said host bus;

a memory array coupled to said host bus;

an input/output bus coupled to said host bus;

a hard drive coupled to said input/output bus;

a floppy controller coupled to said input/output bus;

at least one floppy drive coupled to said floppy controller;

a keyboard controller coupled to said input/output bus;

at least one serial port coupled to said input/output bus;

a parallel port coupled to said input/output bus;

a video graphics controller coupled to said input/output bus;

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 to reset;

said hard drive 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 computer 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 computer 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 computer 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 computer 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 computer 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 computer 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 computer 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.

9. A method of recovering from a computer system failure, the computer system including a hard drive having a plurality of bootable partitions, the steps comprising:

detecting a computer system failure;

generating a reset signal if failure is detected, said reset signal resetting the computer system;

selecting a bootable hard disc partition; and

booting the computer system from a selected bootable hard disc partition selection.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said detection step includes the steps of:

generating a system reset signal when a resettable timer times out; and

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

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said detection step further includes the step of masking said system reset signal after the computer system is power cycled.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said detection step further includes the step of disabling said mask after the computer system has determined the reset cause.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein a system operator wears a pager and the computer system includes a modem, the method comprising the step of causing said modem to communicate with the pager in response to said reset signal.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of allowing remote access to the computer system for receiving commands when the computer system is booted to said diagnostic program partition.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said computer system includes a modem and wherein said allowing remote access step further includes the steps of:

indicating an incoming or outgoing access; and

completing said indicated access direction.

16. The method of claim 9 further comprising the steps of:

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

logging faults found during the memory testing; and

deallocating memory found to have faults during the memory testing.