Patent EP0517403A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0517403A2
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EP
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Diagnostic system for a personal computer
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1992-05-21
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-05-21
Abstract
Abstract A personal computer has a NVRAM comprising an error log for storing predetermined error log information at predetermined locations therein. The information is accessible by various programs such as a POST program, a diagnostics program, and an operating system program. Access is made by BIOS interrupt calls through a BIOS interface. The NVRAM also stores vital product data and system setup data.
Inventors
- 👤 Albert Richard Treu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 11:26
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/0703; G06F11/0766; G06F11/0775; G06F11/006; G06F11/0781
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
166 words
A diagnostic system for a personal computer having a storage system for storing a plurality of programs including application programs, an operating system and a BIOS; and a microprocessor for executing said programs; said BIOS containing a plurality of routines which are functionally layered beneath said operating system and are independent thereof but are accessible from said operating system by an interface of a plurality of BIOS interrupt calls; said diagnostic system comprising: a non-volatile memory having a first address space for storing an error log, said error log comprising a plurality of predetermined addressable locations for storing predetermined error information in a predetermined format; and said BIOS including a plurality of diagnostic related routines including a first routine for writing error information into said error log and a second routine for reading error information from said error log, said first routine being executable in response to a first BIOS interrupt call, and said second routine being executable in response to a second BIOS interrupt call.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
41 words
A diagnostic system in accordance with claim 1 wherein: said error log comprises a plurality of addressable locations for storing said error information, said error information comprising an indication of source of an error, type of error, and when error occurred.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
A diagnostic system in accordance with claim 2, wherein: said error log contains a plurality of entries, each entry containing error information for a different error, each entry further containing entry status information including an indication of whether or not a given entry is valid.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
A diagnostic system in accordance with claim 3 wherein said entry status information indicates a permanent error and a temporary error.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
A diagnostic system in accordance with claim 3 wherein said entry includes an extended status field for storing information specific to a given error, and said entry includes a plurality of logic status indications identifying what type of information is stored in said extended status field.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
A diagnostic system in accordance with claim 3 wherein said error log further contains a multiple log counter for counting plural occurrences of same error condition from same source or different sources.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
71 words
A diagnostic system in accordance with claim 2 wherein : one of said programs includes an error handling third routine responsive to an occurrence of an error during system operation for gathering error information and assembling such error information in a buffer in said predetermined format; and said first routine in said BIOS being operative to write said error information from said buffer into said predetermined locations in said error log.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A diagnostic system in accordance with claim 7 wherein said third routine is included in said BIOS and is executed in response to occurrence of a non-maskable interrupt signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
63 words
A diagnostic system in accordance with claim 2 wherein said personal computer has a power-on, self-test (POST) program stored therein for testing said computer in response to a system restart, said POST program including a fourth routine for calling said second routine by executing said second BIOS interrupt call to read error information from said error log for analysis by said POST program.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
65 words
A diagnostic system in accordance with claim 9 wherein said POST program includes an error handling routine operative in response to an error occurring when POST is executed to collect error information for such error, assemble such information into said predetermined format, and write such formatted information directly in said error log at said predetermined locations without having to execute said first BIOS interrupt call.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
A diagnostic system in accordance with claim 2 comprising a diagnostic program executable by said microprocessor for accessing said error log and testing operation of said computer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
65 words
A diagnostic system in accordance with claim 2 wherein: said non-volatile memory comprises a second address space for storing vital product data including identifying different field replaceable units in said computer; and said diagnostic system further comprises a routine for reading error information from said error log and identifying from said vital product data which field replacement unit to replace when an error originates therefrom.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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