Unavailable memory device initialization system
An unavailable memory device initialization system includes a memory controller device that is configured to determine whether a memory system includes unavailable memory devices during initialization operations. During the first initialization operations, a BIOS engine identifies unavailable memory device(s) in the memory system that were determined to be unavailable by the memory controller device during the first initialization operations and, in response, stores respective unavailable memory device identifier(s) associated with each unavailable memory device in a non-volatile storage subsystem. Subsequently, during second initialization operations and based on the respective unavailable memory device identifier(s) stored in the non-volatile storage subsystem, the BIOS engine generates a memory overlay that hides each unavailable memory device from the memory controller device such that the memory controller device determines that the memory system does not include any unavailable memory devices during the second initialization operations.
1. An unavailable memory device initialization system, comprising:
a memory system;
a memory controller device that is coupled to the memory system and configured to:
determine, during initialization operations, whether the memory system includes unavailable memory devices; and
a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) engine that is coupled to the memory system and the memory controller device, wherein the BIOS engine is configured to:
identify, during first initialization operations, at least one unavailable memory device that is included in the memory system and that was determined to be unavailable by the memory controller device during the first initialization operations;
store, during the first initialization operations in a non-volatile storage subsystem in response to identifying the at least one unavailable memory device, respective unavailable memory device identifiers associated with each at least one unavailable memory device; and
generate, during second initialization operations that are subsequent to the first initialization operations and based on the respective unavailable memory device identifiers stored in the non-volatile storage subsystem, a memory overlay that hides each at least one unavailable memory device from the memory controller device such that the memory controller device determines that the memory system does not include any unavailable memory devices during the second initialization operations.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the identifying the at least one unavailable memory device that is included in the memory system and that was determined to be unavailable by the memory controller device during the first initialization operations includes:
identifying a respective Memory Reference Code (MRC) training error determined by the memory controller device during the first initialization operations for each at least one unavailable memory device.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the generating the memory overlay includes:
providing, during the second initialization operations and based on the respective unavailable memory device identifiers stored in the non-volatile storage subsystem, respective memory overlay values in a memory overlay database for each unavailable memory device identifiers.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein each at least one unavailable memory device that is included in the memory system and that was determined to be unavailable by the memory controller device during the first initialization operations is identified by a respective unavailable memory device channel associated with that unavailable memory device.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the BIOS engine is configured to:
automatically cause, subsequent to storing the respective unavailable memory device identifiers associated with each at least one unavailable memory device in the non-volatile storage subsystem during the first initialization operations, a reboot that begins the second initialization operations.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the BIOS engine is configured to:
identify, during the second initialization operations in the non-volatile storage subsystem, the respective unavailable memory device identifiers;
provide, for display in response to identifying the respective unavailable memory device identifiers in the non-volatile storage subsystem, an initialization proceed request; and
complete, in response to receiving an affirmative response to the initialization proceed request, the second initialization operations such that a runtime environment is provided.
7. An Information Handling System (IHS), comprising:
a processing system; and
a memory system that is coupled to the processing system and that includes instructions that, when executed by the processing system, cause the processing system to provide a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) engine that is configured to:
identify, during first initialization operations, at least one unavailable memory device that is included in the memory system and that was determined to be unavailable by a memory controller device during the first initialization operations;
store, during the first initialization operations in a non-volatile storage subsystem in response to identifying the at least one unavailable memory device, respective unavailable memory device identifiers associated with each at least one unavailable memory device; and
generate, during second initialization operations that are subsequent to the first initialization operations and based on the respective unavailable memory device identifiers stored in the non-volatile storage subsystem, a memory overlay that hides each at least one unavailable memory device from the memory controller device such that the memory controller device determines that the memory system does not include any unavailable memory devices during the second initialization operations.
8. The IHS of claim 7 , wherein the identifying the at least one unavailable memory device that is included in the memory system and that was determined to be unavailable by the memory controller device during the first initialization operations includes:
identifying a respective Memory Reference Code (MRC) training error determined by the memory controller device during the first initialization operations for each at least one unavailable memory device.
9. The IHS of claim 7 , wherein the generating the memory overlay includes:
providing, during the second initialization operations and based on the respective unavailable memory device identifiers stored in the non-volatile storage subsystem, respective memory overlay values in a memory overlay database for each unavailable memory device identifiers.
10. The IHS of claim 7 , wherein each at least one unavailable memory device that is included in the memory system and that was determined to be unavailable by the memory controller device during the first initialization operations is identified by a respective unavailable memory device channel associated with that unavailable memory device.
11. The IHS of claim 7 , wherein the BIOS engine is configured to:
automatically cause, subsequent to storing the respective unavailable memory device identifiers associated with each at least one unavailable memory device in the non-volatile storage subsystem during the first initialization operations, a reboot that begins the second initialization operations.
12. The IHS of claim 7 , wherein the BIOS engine is configured to:
identify, during the second initialization operations in the non-volatile storage subsystem, the respective unavailable memory device identifiers;
provide, for display in response to identifying the respective unavailable memory device identifiers in the non-volatile storage subsystem, an initialization proceed request; and
complete, in response to receiving an affirmative response to the initialization proceed request, the second initialization operations such that a runtime environment is provided.
13. The IHS of claim 12 , wherein the BIOS engine is configured to:
erase, during the second initialization operations, the respective unavailable memory device identifiers from the non-volatile storage subsystem.
14. A method for initializing a computing device including an unavailable memory device, comprising:
identifying, by a BIOS engine provide by a processing system during first initialization operations, at least one unavailable memory device that is included in the memory system and that was determined to be unavailable by a memory controller device during the first initialization operations;
storing, by the BIOS engine during the first initialization operations in a non-volatile storage subsystem in response to identifying the at least one unavailable memory device, respective unavailable memory device identifiers associated with each at least one unavailable memory device; and
generating, by the BIOS engine during second initialization operations that are subsequent to the first initialization operations and based on the respective unavailable memory device identifiers stored in the non-volatile storage subsystem, a memory overlay that hides each at least one unavailable memory device from the memory controller device such that the memory controller device determines that the memory system does not include any unavailable memory devices during the second initialization operations.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the identifying the at least one unavailable memory device that is included in the memory system and that was determined to be unavailable by the memory controller device during the first initialization operations includes:
identifying a respective Memory Reference Code (MRC) training error determined by the memory controller device during the first initialization operations for each at least one unavailable memory device.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the generating the memory overlay includes:
providing, during the second initialization operations and based on the respective unavailable memory device identifiers stored in the non-volatile storage subsystem, respective memory overlay values in a memory overlay database for each unavailable memory device identifiers.
17. The method of claim 14 , wherein each at least one unavailable memory device that is included in the memory system and that was determined to be unavailable by the memory controller device during the first initialization operations is identified by a respective unavailable memory device channel associated with that unavailable memory device.
18. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
automatically causing, by the BIOS engine subsequent to storing the respective unavailable memory device identifiers associated with each at least one unavailable memory device in the non-volatile storage subsystem during the first initialization operations, a reboot that begins the second initialization operations.
19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
identifying, by the BIOS engine during the second initialization operations in the non-volatile storage subsystem, the respective unavailable memory device identifiers;
providing, by the BIOS engine for display in response to identifying the respective unavailable memory device identifiers in the non-volatile storage subsystem, an initialization proceed request; and
completing, by the BIOS engine in response to receiving an affirmative response to the initialization proceed request, the second initialization operations such that a runtime environment is provided.
20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
erase, by the BIOS engine during the second initialization operations, the respective unavailable memory device identifiers from the non-volatile storage subsystem.