Methods and apparatus to update a basic input/output system (BIOS)

1. A method to update a basic input/output system (BIOS) comprising:

determining a storing characteristic associated with a BIOS component stored in a non-volatile memory;

determining whether the BIOS component is a shared BIOS component or a non-shared BIOS component;

determining boundaries of the BIOS component within the non-volatile memory based on the storing characteristic associated with the BIOS component and whether the BIOS component is a shared BIOS component or a non-shared BIOS component; and

updating the BIOS component within the boundaries.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein determining the storing characteristic associated with the BIOS component comprises querying for a partition identifier associated with a BIOS component stored in a flash memory.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein determining the storing characteristic associated with the BIOS component comprises identifying one of a primary partition characteristic and a secondary partition characteristic associated with the BIOS component.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein determining the storing characteristic associated with the BIOS component comprises determining the storing characteristic associated with one of a code area and a data area.

5. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein determining boundaries of the BIOS component within the non-volatile memory comprises adjusting one of a top portion, a mid-point portion, and a bottom portion of a flash memory with at least one offset.

6. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein determining boundaries of the BIOS component within the non-volatile memory comprises subtracting at least one offset from a top portion of a flash memory in response to detecting a primary partition identifier associated with the BIOS component.

7. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein determining boundaries of the BIOS component within the non-volatile memory comprises subtracting at least one offset from a mid-point portion of a flash memory in response to detecting a secondary partition identifier associated with the BIOS component.

8. A machine readable medium storing instructions, which when executed, cause a machine to:

determine a storing characteristic associated with a BIOS component stored in a non-volatile memory;

determine whether the BIOS component is a shared BIOS component or a non-shared BIOS component;

determine boundaries of the BIOS component based on the storing characteristic associated with the BIOS component and whether the BIOS component is a shared BIOS component or a non-shared BIOS component; and

update the BIOS component within the boundaries.

9. A machine readable medium as defined in claim 8 , wherein the instructions cause the machine to determine the storing characteristic associated with the BIOS component by querying for a partition identifier associated with a BIOS component stored in a flash memory.

10. A machine readable medium as defined in claim 8 , wherein the instructions cause the machine to determine the storing characteristic associated with the BIOS component by identifying one of a primary partition characteristic and a secondary partition characteristic associated with the BIOS component.

11. A machine readable medium as defined in claim 8 , wherein the instructions cause the machine to determine the storing characteristic associated with the BIOS component by determining the storing characteristic associated with one of a code area and a data area.

12. A machine readable medium as defined in claim 8 , wherein the instructions cause the machine to determine boundaries of the BIOS component within the non-volatile memory by adjusting one of a top portion, a mid-point portion, and a bottom portion of a flash memory with at least one offset.

13. A machine readable medium as defined in claim 8 , wherein the instructions cause the machine to determine boundaries of the BIOS component within the non-volatile memory comprises subtracting at least one offset from a top portion of a flash memory in response to detecting a primary partition identifier associated with the BIOS component.

14. A machine readable medium as defined in claim 8 , wherein the instructions cause the machine to determine boundaries of the BIOS component within the non-volatile memory by subtracting at least one offset from a mid-point portion of a flash memory in response to detecting a secondary partition identifier associated with the BIOS component.

15. A machine readable medium as defined in claim 8 , wherein the machine readable medium comprises one of a programmable gate array, application specific integrated circuit, erasable programmable read only memory, read only memory, random access memory, magnetic media, and optical media.

16. A processor system comprising:

a data structure; and

a processor operatively coupled to the data structure, the processor being programmed to determine a storing characteristic associated with a BIOS component stored in the data structure, to determine whether the BIOS component is a shared BIOS component or a non-shared BIOS component, to determine boundaries of the BIOS component based on the storing characteristic and the operating characteristic associated with the BIOS component and whether the BIOS component is a shared BIOS component or a non-shared BIOS component, and update the BIOS component within the boundaries.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 16 , wherein the storing characteristic comprises one of a primary partition characteristic and a secondary partition characteristic.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 16 , wherein the BIOS component comprises one of a code area and a data area.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 16 , wherein the boundaries of the BIOS component comprise at least one offset adjusted from one of a top portion, a mid-point portion, and a bottom portion of a flash memory.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 16 , wherein the processor is programmed to subtract at least one offset from a top portion of a flash memory in response to detecting a primary partition characteristic associated with the BIOS component.

21. An apparatus as defined in claim 16 , wherein the processor is programmed to subtract at least one offset from a mid-point portion of a flash memory in response to detecting a secondary partition characteristic associated with the BIOS component.

22. A processor system comprising:

a flash memory; and

a processor operatively coupled to the flash memory, the processor being programmed to determine a storing characteristic associated with a BIOS component stored in the flash memory, to determine whether the BIOS component is a shared BIOS component or a non-shared BIOS component, to determine boundaries of the BIOS component based on the storing characteristic associated with the BIOS component and whether the BIOS component is a shared BIOS component or a non-shared BIOS component, and update the BIOS component within the boundaries.

23. An apparatus as defined in claim 22 , wherein the storing characteristic comprises one of a primary partition characteristic and a secondary partition characteristic.

24. An apparatus as defined in claim 22 , wherein the BIOS component comprises one of a code area and a data area.

25. An apparatus as defined in claim 22 , wherein the boundaries of the BIOS component comprise at least one offset adjusted from one of a top portion, a mid-point portion, and a bottom portion of a flash memory.

26. An apparatus as defined in claim 22 , wherein the processor is programmed to subtract at least one offset to a top portion of a flash memory in response to detecting a primary partition characteristic associated with the BIOS component.

27. An apparatus as defined in claim 22 , wherein the processor is programmed to subtract at least one offset to a mid-point portion of a flash memory in response to detecting a secondary partition characteristic associated with the BIOS component.