Use of extra firmware flash ROM space as a diagnostic drive
View Patent ↗A method 20 and computer apparatus for using available firmware flash ROM space as a diagnostic drive. The computer apparatus has a nonvolatile random access memory, an Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) and a basic input and output system (BIOS). To implement the functionality provided by the present invention, a command shell of the EFI is modified to include the EFI driver and operates to configure available flash space normally reserved for firmware (BIOS) as a diagnostic disk drive. The modified EFI and the EFI driver are stored in the flash memory. When the computer system 10 is initialized (booted), the EFI driver configures the available space in the flash memory that is not allocated to the firmware as the diagnostic disk drive. Diagnostic programs are loaded into the diagnostic disk drive, which are selectively run by a user, such as by using the command shell. The method may also be configured to include data compression and decompression routines to increase the quantity of data that may be stored in the configured disk drive space, or encryption routines for security purposes. The diagnostic disk drive space may be used to store power on self test (POST) error logs in files that may be read by the operating system during its boot process and displayed by an event viewer.
1. A method for using available firmware flash ROM space as a diagnostic drive of a computer system that includes a central processing unit, a hard disk drive, a nonvolatile random access memory, and Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI), and a basic input and output system, the method comprising the steps of:
modifying the Extensible Firmware Interface to include and EFI driver that operates to configure available nonvolatile random access memory space normally reserved for the BIOS as a diagnostic disk drive;
storing the modified Extensible Firmware Interface and the EFI driver in the nonvolatile random access memory;
when the computer system is initialized, configuring the available space in the flash memory that is not allocated to the firmware as a diagnostic disk drive;
loading one or more diagnostic programs into the diagnostic disk drive;
selectively booting the computer system to the EFI command shell in the event of a problem with the computer system;
running the one or more diagnostic programs to correct the problem with the computer system; and
rebooting the computer system using the operating system on the hard disk drive.
2. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the modifying, storing, configuring, loading, selectively booting, running and rebooting steps are performed in software.
3. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the modifying, storing, configuring, loading, selectively booting, running and rebooting steps are performed in firmware.
4. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the step of running the one or more diagnostic programs comprises displaying the diagnostic programs using an event viewer.
5. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of configuring the EFI driver to include data compression and decompression routines to increase the quantity of data stored in the diagnostic disk drive.
6. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of configuring the EFI driver to include encryption routines for security purposes.
7. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the diagnostic disk drive space is used to store power on self test (POST) error logs in files that may be read and displayed.
8. The method recited in claim 7 wherein the POST error logs in files are read by the operating system during its boot process and are displayed by an event viewer.
9. A computer apparatus, comprising:
a central processing unit;
a nonvolatile random access memory;
an Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI);
a basic input and output system (BIOS) stored in the nonvolatile random access memory; and
and EFI driver stored in the nonvolatile random access memory that interfaces with the Extensible Firmware Interface, and operates to configure available flash read-only-memory space normally reserved for the BIOS as a diagnostic disk drive, load one or more diagnostic programs into the diagnostic disk drive, selectively boot the computer system to the EFI command shell in the event of a problem with the hard disk drive, run the one error or more diagnostic programs to correct the problem with the hard disk drive, and reboot the computer system using the operating system on the hard disk drive.
10. The computer apparatus recited in claim 9 which further comprises an event viewer for displaying the diagnostic programs.
11. The computer apparatus recited in claim 9 wherein the EFI driver includes data compression and decompression routines to increase the quantity of data stored in the diagnostic disk drive.
12. The computer apparatus recited in claim 9 wherein the EFI driver includes encryption routines for security purposes.
13. The computer apparatus recited in claim 9 wherein the diagnostic disk drive stores power on self test (POST) error logs in files that may be read and displayed.
14. The computer apparatus recited in claim 13 wherein the POST error logs in the files read by operating system during its boot process and are displayed by an event viewer.