Method and system for rebooting a computer having corrupted memory using an external jumper

• US 6,018,806 A
• Filed: 10/16/1995
• Issued: 01/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: Packard Bell NEC
• Inventors: George, Jose T., Cortopassi, Michael, Voegeli, Derick W., Parham, John Allan
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Jr., Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WRIGHT, NORMAN M
• Application Number:
  US08/543,423
• Time in Patent Office: 1,562 Days
• Field of Search: 395/181, 395/182.01, 395/652, 395/651, 395/182.06, 395/182.04, 395/182.03, 364/280.9, 364/280.2, 364/280
• US Class Current: 714/6.31
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1417 Boot up procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A computer system includes a flash memory device for storing BIOS code. The BIOS code is stored in an unprotected area of the flash memory. A boot block, stored in a protected area of the flash memory, is used for rebooting the computer system in the event that the flash memory device becomes corrupted. During normal operation, the BIOS code is updated using a radio link. If the BIOS is corrupted while being updated, a recovery routine stored in the boot block is executed. The recovery routine permits the corrupted BIOS to be reprogrammed using a serial interface instead of the radio link.

Claims

1. A system for providing remote access over a wireless link to a remote host computer, comprising:

a remote host computer having a CPU, a storage device for running and storing one or more programs and a display unit for displaying images output by said one or more programs;

a wireless interface device including one or more flash memory devices, a display device, an input system and a wireless communications system for interfacing with said remote host computer by way of a wireless link for controlling and accessing said remote host computer and said programs on said remote host computer and for displaying whatever images can be displayed by said remote host computer;

means for enabling said flash memory devices to be updated by way of said wireless link;

means for enabling said wireless device to be rebooted in the event of a flash disaster, said wireless device rebooting enabling means including an external jumper for selectably enabling said wireless device to execute boot instructions from a protected area of said flash memory device.

2. The computer of claim 1, wherein said flash memory devices store BIOS code.

3. The computer of claim 1, wherein said flash disaster occurs as a result of corrupted BIOS code.

4. The computer of claim 1, wherein said receiving means includes an antenna.

5. The computer of claim 1, wherein said receiving means includes a transceiver.

6. A system for providing remote access over a wireless link to a remote host computer, comprising:

a remote host computer having a CPU, a storage device for running and storing one or more programs and a display unit for displaying images output by said one or more programs;

a memory having a protected area and a non-protected area for storing normal BIOS code in a non-protected area and disaster recovery BIOS code in said protected area;

a wireless interface device including said memory, a display device, an input system and a wireless communications system for interfacing with said remote host computer by way of a wireless link for controlling and accessing said remote host computer and said programs on said remote host computer and for displaying whatever images can be displayed by said remote host computer;

a communications interface connected to said wireless interface device configured to update said normal BIOS code; and

means for enabling said computer system to be booted during a condition when said non-protected area of said memory is corrupted including one or more terminals adapted to receiving an external jumper which, when installed, causes said computer system to execute disaster recovery BIOS code from said protected area in said memory in order to enable said computer system to be booted in the event that said memory is corrupted and to enable said flash memory devices to be updated by way of said communications interface.

7. The computer system of claim 6, further comprising:

a software routine for permitting said BIOS code to be updated via a second communications interface in the event that said memory is corrupted.

8. The system of claim 6, further including a jumper adapted to connect said one or more terminals to a system ground.

9. The computer system of claim 6, wherein said memory includes a flash memory device.

10. A system for providing remote access over a wireless link to a remote host computer, comprising:

a remote host computer having a CPU, a storage device for running and storing one or more programs and a display unit for displaying images output by said one or more programs;

a wireless interface device including one or more flash memory devices, a display device, an input system and a wireless communications interface for interfacing with said remote host computer by way of a wireless link for controlling and accessing said remote host computer and said programs on said remote host computer and for displaying whatever images can be displayed by said remote host computer, said wireless interface device including a wired communications interface, said wireless communications interface also for updating BIOS code stored in an unprotected area of said flash memory devices;

a header having one or more pins to selectably enable said computer system to execute disaster recovery BIOS code from a protected area in said flash memory when said one or more pins is in a predetermined logic state in order to enable said computer system to be booted in the event that said flash memory is corrupted; and

a flash memory programming routine for programming said flash memory by way of one of said communications port when said one or more pins is in a predetermined logic state.

11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the wired communications interface includes a serial port.

12. The computer system claim 10, further comprising:

a radio link between the wireless communications interface and a host computer.

13. The computer system of claim 10, further comprising:

a jumper adapted to be inserted into said header to enable the computer system to be rebooted.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein said jumper enables said disaster recovery software routine to execute.

17. The computer system of claim 10, further comprising:

a disaster software recovery routine stored in said protected area of said flash memory devices for enabling said unprotected area to be reprogrammed by way of said wired communications interface in the event that said BIOS code is corrupted.

15. In a a wireless interface device including a flash memory device and a plurality of communications links for providing remote access over a wireless link to a remote host computer having a CPU, a storage device for running and storing one or more programs and a display unit for displaying images output by said one or more programs, a method of rebooting said system in the event that said flash memory device becomes corrupted, comprising the following steps:

providing said wireless interface device with one or more flash memory devices, a display device, an input system and a wireless communications system for interfacing with said remote host computer by way of a wireless link for controlling and accessing said remote host computer and said programs on said remote host computer and for displaying whatever images can be displayed by said remote host computer;

manually selecting a protected memory area of said flash memory containing disaster recovery code;

executing disaster recovery code stored in a protected memory area not accessed during a normal booting operation;

selecting one of such plurality of communications link according to said disaster recovery code;

receiving BIOS code over the selected communications link;

updating said flash memory device using said BIOS code; and

rebooting said system using updated flash memory device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

grounding a control signal to enable execution said disaster recovery code.