Method for updating firmware of an electronic device within a computer
View Patent ↗A method for updating firmware of a hard disk drive (HDD) within a computer. In order to use the firmware that has been updated without rebooting the computer, the old identification information of the old firmware is loaded into a random-access memory (RAM) of the HDD. The new firmware containing new identification information is written in the non-volatile memory of the HDD during a power-on state of the computer. The new firmware containing new identification information is loaded into the RAM, and the new identification information is rewritten with the old identification information. The old identification information at the RAM of the HDD is sent back in response to a request of identification information from the operating system prior to cold boot.
1. A method comprising:
in response to a firmware update request on a computer in a power-on state,
copying an old identification information of an old firmware located in a volatile memory of an electronic device within said computer to a different address location of said volatile memory of the electronic device; and
storing new firmware in a non-volatile memory of said electronic device within said computer;
replacing said old firmware in said volatile memory with said new firmware from said non-volatile memory of said electronic device to allow said new firmware to take control of said computer; and
replacing a new identification information of said new firmware with said old identification information of said old firmware previously stored in said different address location of said volatile memory of said electronic device to allow said new firmware to be executed under a new code body along with said old identification information of said old firmware before a cold boot of said computer.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising loading said new firmware from said non-volatile memory to said volatile memory after a warm boot of said computer.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising presenting a blue screen after reporting said new identification information of said new firmware to an operating system requesting identification information.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transferring said new identification information from said volatile memory to said operating system after a cold boot of said computer.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said electronic device complies with Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA) specifications, and said identification information is data to be sent in response to an ATA IDENTIFY DEVICE command from said operating system.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said electronic device is a hard disk drive.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said old firmware includes an old code body and said old identification information, and said new firmware includes said new code body and said new identification information.
8. A computer comprising:
an electronic device having a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory;
a system memory connected to said electronic device;
a processor, in response to a firmware update request when said computer is in a power-on state,
copies an old identification information of an old firmware located in said volatile memory to a different address location of said volatile memory:
stores new firmware in said non-volatile memory;
replaces said old firmware in said volatile memory with said new firmware from said non-volatile memory to allow said new firmware to take control of said computer; and
replaces a new identification information of said new firmware with said old identification information of said old firmware previously stored in said different address location of said volatile memory to allow said new firmware to be executed under a new code body along with said old identification information of said old firmware before a cold boot of said computer.
9. The computer of claim 8 , wherein said new firmware is loaded from said non-volatile memory to said volatile memory after a warm boot of said computer.
10. The computer of claim 9 , wherein a blue screen is presented after said new identification information of said new firmware has been presented to an operating system requesting identification information.
11. The computer of claim 8 , wherein said new identification information is transferred from said volatile memory to said operating system after a cold boot of said computer.
12. The computer of claim 8 , wherein said electronic device complies with Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA) specifications, and said identification information is data to be sent in response to an ATA IDENTIFY DEVICE command from said operating system.
13. The computer of claim 8 , wherein said electronic device is a hard disk drive.
14. The computer of claim 8 , wherein said old firmware includes an old code body and said old identification information, and said new firmware includes said new code body and said new identification information.