Expedient preparation of memory for video execution
View Patent ↗A computer system that initializes a fraction of the computer system's memory for execution of video during booting of the computer system is provided. The computer system can include a first portion of BIOS code on a ROM device, wherein the first portion includes instructions for initializing the fraction. The computer system further can include a second portion of BIOS code that copies itself to the fraction upon completion of initialization of the fraction, wherein the second portion executes on the fraction and wherein the second portion initializes system memory and initializes a video buffer. The computer system further can include a copy of the second portion located on the ROM device, wherein the copy of the second portion executes until video buffer initialization is completed but before all of the system memory is initialized. Further, the video buffer displays video before all of the computer system's memory is initialized.
1. A method for initializing a fraction of a computer system's memory for execution of video during booting of the computer system, comprising:
executing a first portion of BIOS code for initializing the fraction of the computer system's memory, wherein the first portion of BIOS code is located on a ROM device;
copying, upon completion of initialization of the fraction, a second portion of BIOS code from the ROM device to the fraction;
executing the second portion of BIOS code on the fraction until completion of video buffer initialization, wherein the second portion of BIOS code includes instructions for initializing all of the computer system's memory and for video buffer initialization;
executing the second portion of BIOS code on the ROM device subsequent to completion of video buffer initialization; and
displaying video from a video buffer that was initialized, wherein video is displayed before all of the computer system's memory is initialized.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of executing the first portion of BIOS code comprises:
executing a first portion of BIOS code for initializing the fraction of the computer system's memory, wherein the first portion of BIOS code is located on a flash memory device.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of executing the first portion of BIOS code further comprises:
executing a first portion of BIOS code for initializing one megabyte of the computer system's memory, wherein the first portion of BIOS code is located on a flash memory device.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of copying comprises:
copying, upon completion of initialization of the megabyte, a second portion of BIOS code from the flash memory device to the megabyte.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of executing the second portion of BIOS code on the fraction comprises:
executing the second portion of BIOS code on the megabyte, wherein the second portion of BIOS code includes instructions for initializing all of the computer system's memory and for video buffer initialization.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the step of executing the second portion of BIOS code on the ROM device comprises:
executing the second portion of BIOS code on the flash memory device until video buffer initialization is completed but before all of the computer system's memory is initialized.
7. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable storage medium storing computer usable program code for initializing a fraction of a computer system's memory for execution of video during booting of the computer system, comprising:
computer usable program code comprising a first portion of BIOS code for initializing the fraction of the computer system's memory, wherein the first portion of BIOS code is located on a ROM device;
computer usable program code for copying, upon completion of initialization of the fraction, a second portion of BIOS code from the ROM device to the fraction;
computer usable program code for executing the second portion of BIOS code on the fraction until completion of video buffer initialization, wherein the second portion of BIOS code includes instructions for initializing all of the computer system's memory and for video buffer initialization;
computer usable program code for executing the second portion of BIOS code on the ROM device subsequent to completion of video buffer initialization; and,
computer usable program code for displaying video from a video buffer that was initialized, wherein video is displayed before all of the computer system's memory is initialized.
8. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the computer usable program code comprising a first portion of BIOS code comprises:
computer usable program code comprising a first portion of BIOS code for initializing the fraction of the computer system's memory, wherein the first portion of BIOS code is located on a flash memory device.
9. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the computer usable program code comprising a first portion of BIOS code further comprises:
computer usable program code comprising a first portion of BIOS code for initializing one megabyte of the computer system's memory, wherein the first portion of BIOS code is located on a flash memory device.
10. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the computer usable program code for copying comprises:
computer usable program code for copying, upon completion of initialization of the megabyte, a second portion of BIOS code from the flash memory device to the megabyte.
11. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein the computer usable program code for executing the second portion of BIOS code on the fraction comprises:
executing the second portion of BIOS code on the megabyte, wherein the second portion of BIOS code includes instructions for initializing all of the computer system's memory and for video buffer initialization.
12. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the computer usable program code for executing the second portion of BIOS code on the ROM device comprises:
computer usable program code for executing the second portion of BIOS code on the flash memory device until video buffer initialization is completed but before all of the computer system's memory is initialized.
13. A computer system that initializes a fraction of the computer system's memory for execution of video during booting of the computer system, comprising:
a first portion of BIOS code located on a ROM device, wherein the first portion of BIOS code includes instructions for initializing the fraction of the computer system's memory;
a second portion of BIOS code that copies itself from the ROM device to the fraction upon completion of initialization of the fraction, wherein the second portion of BIOS code executes on the fraction until completion of video buffer initialization, wherein the second portion of BIOS code includes instructions for initializing all of the computer system's memory and for video buffer initialization;
a copy of the second portion of BIOS code located on the ROM device, wherein the copy of the second portion of BIOS code executes before all of the computer system's memory is initialized subsequent to completion of video buffer initialization; and
a video buffer that was initialized, wherein the video buffer displays video before all of the computer system's memory is initialized.
14. The computer system of claim 13 , wherein the ROM device comprises a flash memory device.
15. The computer system of claim 14 , wherein the fraction of the computer system's memory comprises one megabyte of memory.
16. The computer system of claim 13 , further comprising a display for displaying video from the video buffer.