Abstract: A digital data processor has a central processing unit (CPU) that operates in plural addressing modes and or more adapters for receiving peripheral devices, e.g., PCMCIA devices. A first peripheral device service subsystem that handles communications between peripheral devices coupled to the adapters and software clients executing on the CPU in a first addressing mode. A second peripheral device service subsystem that handles communications between peripheral devices coupled to the adapters and clients executing on the CPU in a second addressing mode. The first peripheral device subsystem includes a configuration management section that allocates digital data processor resources, e.g., memory space, input/output channels, direct memory access (DMA) channels and interrupt (IRQ) levels, used for communications between the peripheral devices and clients, regardless of whether those clients are executing in the first or second addressing modes.

Abstract: A system for diagnosing and resolving faults in the allocation of resources to PCMCIA-compliant devices includes an extension of a super client to include functionality for storing and generating information about resources allocated to the sockets, as well information regarding any failed requests for resource allocation. A fault detection and correction element interprets that information to identify faults in the allocation of resources to the PCMCIA-compliant devices. Those faults are dynamically corrected via modification of a super client or card services resources database, and do not require reinitialization, or "rebooting," of the digital data processor.