Method and system for configuring a communication card in a computer system

1. A method for configuring a communication card coupled to a computer system, the method comprising:

determining whether the communication card is configured; and

calling a configuration module of the communication card in response to a determination that the communication card is not configured,

in response to being called, the configuration module of the communication card retrieves information stored in the computer system, the information relating to a country in which the computer system will be used,

selects a configuration setting based on the retrieved information from a plurality of configuration setting based on the retrieved information from a plurality of configuration settings stored in the communication card, and

loads the selected configuration setting into a non-volatile read only memory structure of the communication card.

2. The method of claim 1 further including:

determining from an end user the country in which the computer system is to be used;

selecting a setting indicator corresponding to the country; and storing the setting indicator in a locked section of non-volatile read only memory of the computer system.

3. The method of claim 2 further including:

performing a system boot sequence;

copying the setting indicator from the locked section of the non-volatile read only memory; and

storing the setting indicator in a shared data structure in the computer system, the shared data structure being accessible by the communication card.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the shared data structure is a system management BIOS.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein retrieving the information from the computer system includes checking the shared data structure for the setting indicator and retrieving the setting indicator from the shared data structure.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein loading the configuration setting includes storing the configuration setting in the non-volatile read only memory structure of the communication card.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein loading the configuration setting includes permanently storing the configuration setting in the non-volatile read only memory structure of the communication card.

8. A communication card coupled to a computer system, the communication card comprising:

a nonvolatile read only memory structure;

a configuration module coupled to the non-volatile read only memory structure; and

a BIOS coupled to the configuration module, the BIOS

determines whether the communication card is configured, and

calls the configuration module in response to a determination that the communication card is not configured,

in response to being called, the configuration module

retrieves information stored in the computer system, the information relating to a country in which the computer system will be used

selects a configuration setting from a plurality of configuration settings stored in the communication card based on the retrieved information, and

loads the selected configuration setting into the non-volatile read only memory structure.

9. The communication card of claim 8 , wherein loading the selected configuration setting includes storing the selected configuration setting in the non-volatile read only memory structure.

10. The communication card of claim 8 , wherein loading the selected configuration setting includes permanently storing the configuration setting in the non-volatile read only memory structure.

11. A computer system comprising:

at least one CPU;

a non-volatile read only memory structure coupled to the at least one CPU, the memory structure including a locked section;

a system BIOS coupled to the at least one CPU;

a shared data structure coupled to the system BIOS; and

at least one communication card coupled to the CPU the communication card comprising:

a non-volatile read only memory structure; and

a configuration module coupled to the non-volatile read only memory structure, the configuration module for retrieving information stored in the computer system, the information relating to a country in which the computer system will be used, the configuration module comprising:

a select module; and

a plurality of configuration settings, wherein each configuration setting corresponds to at least one country,

wherein the select module selects a configuration setting from the plurality of configuration settings stored in the communication card based on the retrieved information, and the configuration module loads the selected configuration setting into the non-volatile read only memory of the communication card.

12. The computer system of claim 11 , further including a setting indicator corresponding to the country in which the computer system is to be used, wherein the setting indicator is stored in the locked section of the non-volatile read only memory structure of the computer system.

13. The computer system of claim 12 , wherein the system BIOS performs a system boot sequence, copies the setting indicator from the locked section of the non-volatile read only memory structure, and stores the setting indicator in the shared data structure in the computer system.

14. The computer system of claim 13 , wherein the configuration module checks the shared data structure for the setting indicator and retrieves the setting indicator from the shared data structure.

15. The computer system of claim 14 , wherein the select module selects the configuration setting corresponding to the setting indicator.

16. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the configuration module permanently loads the selected configuration setting into the non-volatile read only memory of the communication card.

17. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the shared data structure is a system management BIOS.