Abstract: A method and system for automated support in a computer system. The computer system has a service button, and pressing of the service button causes a bit to be set in a register in the chip set. Setting of the bit generates an interrupt signal that is received and processed in a manner dependent on whether the computer system is in a booting state or a non-booting state. If the computer system is in a booting state, the bit is checked at a predetermined point in the booting sequence, and if set, a service application is initiated at that time. If the computer is not in a booting state, a second interrupt is generated, causing the service application to be initiated. A timer is initiated substantially with pressing of the service button, and if the service application reaches a predetermined point before the timer reaches a predetermined value, it will clear the timer. If not, the system will follow a predetermined reboot protocol.

Abstract: A method for servicing computers using diagnostics programs to capture and report comprehensive configuration information to customer service via email.

Abstract: In a replicated component system, changing the condition of a component can deleteriously effect the system as a whole unless the result of making such a change may have on other components is considered. In response to a request to change the condition of a subject component to a specified condition, where the request is from a fixed set of request operations, the request is first validated using a particular validation algorithm associated with the request type. If the request is successfully validated (i.e., a determination is made using the validation algorithm that making the requested change will not negatively affect the system or components with which the subject component has a relationship), then the request is realized using a particular realization algorithm associated with the request type. Each validation algorithm and realization algorithm are from fixed sets of such algorithms that are associated with each possible request operation.

Abstract: For use in a multiprocessor system in which a plurality of processors share a main memory via a processor bus, an error processing unit (EU) that determines an error level is provided in each processor. When an L2 cache control unit (SU) that controls an L2 cache in the write-back mode, a bus interface unit (PU), and so on, are normal and snoop processing may be continued, the snoop processing is continued in the processor, in which an error occurred, regardless of whether or not the processor is reset. This prevents the system from going down even when data coherence among L2 caches is lost due to an error that occurs in one of processors.

Abstract: A method and apparatus used in a storage network facilitates the protection of data in, and replacement of, storage devices about to fail before the failure happens. In a network that includes a plurality of sets of storage devices which store respective data sets, a storage device about to fail in one set can be replaced by another storage device from another set of storage devices which is being used to store data having a lower priority. The method comprises assigning priorities to sets of storage devices in the network which store respective data sets. In addition, the method includes detecting a condition of a first particular storage device in a particular set of storage devices that has a first priority. Conditions which are detected according to various embodiments indicate that the first particular storage device is suffering events indicating that it is likely to fail, or otherwise suffering from reduced performance.

Abstract: A system and method for communicating with an integrated circuit is provided that allows an integrated circuit to communicate debugging information and system bus transaction information with an external system. The system may include an interface protocol that provides flow control between the integrated circuit and the external system. The system may include a high-speed link and/or a JTAG link for communicating information. A link may be automatically selected by a debug circuit, or selected by an on-chip device or external system. The high-speed link enables real-time collection of trace information. Links may be memory-mapped, such that on-chip devices and other devices attached to the system bus may access the external system. The high-speed link may also operate at a rate which is integrally coupled with a rate of the processor or system bus. Further, the high-speed link may be adapted to change speeds in response to a change in operating speed of the system bus or processor.

Abstract: A generalization of frequent item sets to error-tolerant frequent item sets (ETF) is disclosed, together with its application in data clustering using error-tolerant frequent item sets to either build clusters or as an initialization technique for standard clustering algorithms. Efficient feasible computational algorithms for computing ETF's from very large databases is presented. In one embodiment, a method determines a plurality of weak ETF's, which are strongly tolerant of errors, and determines a plurality of strong ETF's therefrom, which are less tolerant of errors. The resulting clusters can be used as an initial model for a standard clustering approach, or may themselves be used as the end clusters. In one embodiment, the data covered by the strong clusters is removed from the data, and the process is repeated, until no more weak clusters can be found.

Abstract: A memory device and method the pact random memory cell failures in a packaged memory device. The memory device is automatically programmed to replace a defective memory cell with an available redundant memory cells. The defective memory cell can be detected during either an erase operation or a program operation. The redundant memory cells can be located in a separately erasable location from primary memory cells to allow data stored in the primary memory cells to be copied to the redundant memory cells when a defect is detected during a program operation.

Abstract: According to the present invention, it is possible to identify such data that need not undergo the subsequent diagnosis-and-recovery operations based on results of self-diagnosis performed up to the current performing of diagnosis, each time diagnosis is performed as many as the predetermined number of times or each time a predetermined lapse of time passes or a user makes an instruction to that effect. Also, each time diagnosis is performed as many as the predetermined umber of times or each time a predetermined lapse of time passes or each time the user makes an instruction to that effect, based on results of self-diagnosis performed up to the current performing of diagnosis, backup data of interest is classified into frequently-used backup data and not-immediately-required backup data automatically, which are then backed up in mutually different storage media.

Abstract: In case of recording the file 13 of the storage device 6 into the optical disc 3, such data to be recorded as being concerned about a deterioration of reading rate, when the data is reproduced from an optical disc, are recorded with avoiding recording into a linear replacement sector.

Abstract: A DRAM auto-swapping device is used to automatically address other available memory segments of a DRAM module of a computer system when the first 64K memory segment of the DRAM module fails to pass the testing performed by the BIOS of the computer system, whereby the computer system can be activated in spite of failure in the first 64K memory segment of the DRAM module.

Abstract: A system and method for improving the isolation and diagnosis of hardware faults in a computing system wherein means are provided for indicating whether unusable data has previously triggered diagnosis of the hardware fault that caused the data to be unusable. If diagnosis has not been performed, the flag is not set. If diagnosis has already been performed, the flag is set. One embodiment comprises an interface which is used to convey data from one subsystem to another. When the interface receives data from the first subsystem, the data is examined to determine whether it contains an uncorrectable error (including missing data.) If the data contains an uncorrectable error, the interface examines the flag corresponding to the data to determine whether hardware fault diagnosis has already been initiated. If diagnosis has already been initiated, the data is passed to the second subsystem without initiating further diagnosis.

Abstract: Recovery of a filesystem directory structure is performed to restore it to any point in time and also to synchronize a database restore and a filesystem restore to bring the two restores to a database consistent state. A database management system (DBMS) manages external files and hierarchical directory structures to enable recovery and reconciliation of the files and filesystems, under DBMS control, after filesystem crashes. First, a database table, which recorded previous directory creations and deletions, is used to rebuild a filesystem's directory structure to any previous database state and then external file link information is used to restore files to that same state.