Multiple firmware image support in a single memory device
View Patent ↗A computing device is configured with a single memory device having multiple firmware images stored therein. At a boot time of the computing device, one of the firmware images is selected for use in booting the computing device. The selection of the firmware image to use for booting the computing device might be based upon the state of a hardware jumper, a board revision identifier, a silicon revision identifier, the results of a checksum operation, the presence or absence of one or more peripheral devices, user-specified settings, and/or one or more other factors. Firmware images might be stored in the single memory device in various combinations that include, but are not limited to, a fast-boot firmware, a full functionality firmware, a recovery firmware, a diagnostic firmware, a motherboard-specific firmware, an operating system-specific firmware, a pre-operating system operating environment firmware, an application-specific firmware, and/or a pre-operating system application firmware.
1. A computer-implemented method, the method comprising performing computer-implemented operations on a computer comprising a single memory device storing a plurality of bootable firmware images for:
prior to booting the computer, selecting one of the plurality of bootable firmware images stored in the single memory device for booting the computer, the plurality of bootable firmware images comprising two or more of
a bootable firmware image comprising a fast-boot firmware,
a bootable firmware image comprising a full functionality firmware,
a bootable firmware image comprising a full recovery firmware,
a bootable firmware image comprising a diagnostic firmware,
a bootable firmware image comprising a motherboard-specific firmware,
a bootable firmware image comprising an operating system-specific firmware,
a bootable firmware image comprising a pre-operating system operating environment firmware,
a bootable firmware image comprising an application-specific firmware, or
a bootable firmware image comprising a pre-operating system application firmware; and
booting the computer using the selected one of the plurality of bootable firmware images.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bootable firmware images comprises the bootable firmware image comprising the fast-boot firmware and the bootable firmware image comprising the full functionality firmware.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bootable firmware images comprises the bootable firmware image comprising the full functionality firmware and the bootable firmware image comprising the recovery firmware.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bootable firmware images comprises the bootable firmware image comprising the full functionality firmware and the bootable firmware image comprising the diagnostic firmware.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bootable firmware images comprises the bootable firmware image comprising the motherboard-specific firmware and the bootable firmware image comprising the different motherboard-specific firmware.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bootable firmware images comprises the bootable firmware image comprising the operating system-specific firmware and the bootable firmware image comprising the different operating system-specific firmware.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bootable firmware images comprises the bootable firmware image comprising the application-specific firmware and the bootable firmware image comprising the full functionality firmware.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bootable firmware images comprises the bootable firmware image comprising the pre-operating system application firmware and the bootable firmware image comprising the full functionality firmware.
9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereupon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:
select one of a plurality of bootable firmware images stored in a single memory device of the computer for use in booting the computer, the plurality of bootable firmware images comprising two or more of
a bootable firmware image comprising a fast-boot firmware,
a bootable firmware image comprising a full functionality firmware,
a bootable firmware image comprising a full recovery firmware,
a bootable firmware image comprising a diagnostic firmware,
a bootable firmware image comprising a motherboard-specific firmware,
a bootable firmware image comprising an operating system-specific firmware,
a bootable firmware image comprising a pre-operating system operating environment firmware,
a bootable firmware image comprising an application-specific firmware, or
a bootable firmware image comprising a pre-operating system application firmware; and
boot the computer using the selected one of the plurality of bootable firmware images stored in the single memory device.
10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of bootable firmware images comprises the bootable firmware image comprising the fast-boot firmware and the bootable firmware image comprising the full functionality firmware.
11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of bootable firmware images comprises the bootable firmware image comprising the full functionality firmware and the bootable firmware image comprising the recovery firmware.
12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of bootable firmware images comprises the bootable firmware image comprising the full functionality firmware and the bootable firmware image comprising the diagnostic firmware.
13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of bootable firmware images comprises the bootable firmware image comprising the motherboard-specific firmware and the bootable firmware image comprising a different motherboard-specific firmware.
14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of bootable firmware images comprises the bootable firmware image comprising the operating system-specific firmware and the bootable firmware image comprising a different operating system-specific firmware.
15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of bootable firmware images comprises the bootable firmware image comprising the application-specific firmware and the bootable firmware image comprising the full functionality firmware.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of bootable firmware images comprises the bootable firmware image comprising the pre-operating system operating environment firmware and the bootable firmware image comprising the full functionality firmware.
17. A computing device, comprising:
a central processing unit; and
a single memory device storing
a plurality of bootable firmware images, each of the bootable firmware images comprising instructions executable on the central processing unit for booting and operating the computing device, and
instructions which, when executed by the central processing unit, cause the central processing unit to
select one of the plurality of bootable firmware images stored in the single memory device for use in booting the computing device, the plurality of bootable firmware images comprising two or more of
a bootable firmware image comprising a fast-boot firmware,
a bootable firmware image comprising a full functionality firmware,
a bootable firmware image comprising a full recovery firmware,
a bootable firmware image comprising a diagnostic firmware,
a bootable firmware image comprising a motherboard-specific firmware,
a bootable firmware image comprising an operating system-specific firmware,
a bootable firmware image comprising a pre-operating system operating environment firmware,
a bootable firmware image comprising an application-specific firmware, or
a bootable firmware image comprising a pre-operating system application firmware, and
boot the computing device using the selected one of the plurality of bootable firmware images.
18. The computing device of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of bootable firmware images comprises the bootable firmware image comprising the fast-boot firmware and the bootable firmware image comprising the full functionality firmware.
19. The computing device of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of bootable firmware images comprises the bootable firmware image comprising the full functionality firmware and the bootable firmware image comprising the recovery firmware.
20. The computing device of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of bootable firmware images comprises the bootable firmware image comprising the full functionality firmware and the bootable firmware image comprising the diagnostic firmware.
21. The computing device of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of bootable firmware images comprises the bootable firmware image comprising the motherboard-specific firmware and the bootable firmware image comprising the different motherboard-specific firmware.
22. The computing device of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of bootable firmware images comprises the bootable firmware image comprising the operating system-specific firmware and the bootable firmware image comprising a different operating system-specific firmware.
23. The computing device of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of bootable firmware images comprises the bootable firmware image comprising the application-specific firmware and the bootable firmware image comprising the full functionality firmware.
24. The computing device of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of bootable firmware images comprises the bootable firmware image comprising the pre-operating system application firmware and the bootable firmware image comprising the full functionality firmware.