公开(公告)号：CA2044522A1

公开(公告)日：1992-01-24

申请号：CA2044522

申请日：1991-06-13

Applicant: IBM

Inventor： ARNOLD LISA R ,  BEALKOWSKI RICHARD ,  BLACKLEDGE JOHN W JR ,  CRONK DOYLE S ,  DAYAN RICHARD A ,  GEISLER DOUGLAS R ,  MITTELSTEDT MATTHEW T ,  PALKA MATTHEW S JR ,  PAUL JOHN D ,  SACHSENMAIER ROBERT ,  SMELTZER KENNETH D ,  WOYTOVECH PETER A ,  ZYVOLOSKI KEVIN M

IPC: G06F3/06 ,  G06F9/445 ,  G06F11/08 ,  G06F11/22 ,  G06F13/10 ,  G06F12/14

Abstract: A personal computer system according to the present invention comprises a system processor, a random access memory, a read only memory, and at least one direct access storage device. A direct access storage device controller coupled between the system processor and direct access storage device includes a protection mechanism for protecting a region of the storage device. The protected region of the storage device includes a master boot record, a BIOS image and a system reference diskette image. The BIOS image includes a section known as Power on Self Test (POST). POST is used to test and initialize a system. Upon detecting any configuration error, system utilities from the system reference diskette image, such as set configuration programs, diagnostic programs and utility programs can be automatically activated from the direct access storage device.