System and method for recovering from a configuration error
A system and method for recovering from a configuration error are disclosed. A Basic Input Output System (BIOS) configures a memory associated with a node of an information handling system and enables a progress monitoring process during configuration of the memory. The memory is disabled if the BIOS determines that a configuration error occurred and a memory reference code associated with the memory is modified in order to prevent a reset of the information handling system.
1. A method for recovering from a configuration error in an information handling system, the method comprising:
determining that a soft reset has occurred on the information handling system, wherein a progress monitoring process by a Basic Input Output System (BIOS) is enabled before the soft reset occurs; and
responsive to determining that the soft reset has occurred:
configuring a memory included in a node of a plurality of nodes of an information handling system, each of the plurality of nodes further including a processor;
disabling the memory if the BIOS determines that a configuration error has occurred; and
modifying a memory reference code associated with the memory in order to prevent a subsequent soft reset of the information handling system when a memory error occurs.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein configuring the memory comprises:
writing a first data pattern to the memory;
reading a second data pattern from the memory; and
determining if the second data pattern read from the memory matches the first data pattern written to the memory.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the BIOS determines that the configuration error occurred if the second data pattern does not match the first data pattern.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein disabling the memory comprises setting a bit in a register associated with the memory.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein disabling the memory comprises excluding the memory from use by an operating system executing on the information handling system.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising updating a memory map to indicate that the memory is not available to an operating system executing on the information handling system.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising notifying a user of the configuration error associated with the memory.
8. An information handling system configured to recover from a configuration error, the information handling system comprising:
a plurality of nodes including a first node, each of the plurality of nodes comprising:
a processor;
a memory communicatively coupled to the processor; and
a chipset including a Basic Input Output System (BIOS) communicatively coupled to the first node, the BIOS operable to:
determine that a soft reset has occurred on the information handling system, wherein a progress monitoring process by the BIOS is enabled before the soft reset occurs; and
responsive to determining that the soft reset has occurred:
configure the memory;
disable the memory if a configuration error occurs; and
modify a memory reference code associated with the memory in order to prevent a subsequent soft reset of the information handling system when a memory error occurs.
9. The information handling system of claim 8 , further comprising the BIOS operable to configure the memory by:
writing a first data pattern to the memory;
reading a second data pattern from the memory; and
determining if the second data pattern read from the memory matches the first data pattern written to the memory.
10. The information handling system of claim 9 , wherein the BIOS is further operable to determine that the configuration error occurred if the second data pattern does not match the first data pattern.
11. The information handling system of claim 8 , further comprising the BIOS operable to disable the memory by setting a bit in a register associated with the memory.
12. The information handling system of claim 8 , further comprising the BIOS operable to configure the memory by excluding the memory from use by an operating system executing on the information handling system.
13. The information handling system of claim 8 , wherein the BIOS is further operable to update a memory map to indicate that the memory is not available to an operating system executing on the information handling system.
14. The information handling system of claim 8 , wherein the BIOS is further operable to notify a user of the failed memory by displaying an error associated with the failed memory on a display communicatively coupled to the chipset.
15. The information handling system of claim 8 , wherein the memory comprises:
a plurality of first dual in-line memory modules (DIMMs) communicatively coupled to a first memory channel; and
a plurality of second DIMMs communicatively coupled to a second memory channel.
16. The information handling system of claim 15 , further comprising the BIOS operable to disable the memory by:
disabling the first memory channel if at least one of the first DIMMs fails the test; and
disabling the second memory channel if at least one of the second DIMMs fails the test.
17. A method for recovering from a configuration error in an information handling system, the method comprising:
determining that a soft reset has occurred on the information handling system, wherein a progress monitoring process by a Basic Input Output System (BIOS) is enabled before the soft reset occurs; and
responsive to determining that the soft reset has occurred:
configuring a plurality of nodes in an information handling system, each node of the plurality of nodes including at least one dual in-line memory module (DIMM) and at least one processor;
disabling a first node of the plurality of nodes if the BIOS determines that a configuration error occurred in a first DIMM included in the first node; and
modifying a memory reference code associated with the first DIMM including the configuration error in order to prevent a subsequent soft reset of the information handling system when a memory error occurs.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein configuring the plurality of nodes comprises:
for each node of the plurality of nodes:
writing a first data pattern to the at least one DIMM included in the node;
reading a second data pattern from the at least one DIMM included in the node; and
determining if the second data pattern matches the first data pattern.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein:
the first DIMM is communicatively coupled to a memory channel; and
disabling the first node comprises disabling the memory channel if the configuration error occurred in the first DIMM.
20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising updating a memory map to indicate that the at least one DIMM associated with the node is not available to an operating system executing on the information handling system.