Abstract: Systems and methods that may be implemented in a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) pre-boot environment time to dynamically locate and load bootable images stored in one or more operating system (OS) partitions on a system storage device/s (e.g., HDD, SSD) that is formatted with an advanced filesystem (e.g., such as NTFS, EXT3, etc.). An OS-based filesystem-independent method may be provided to access OS filesystem data during UEFI pre-boot time. Individual selected boot images stored across multiple OS filesystem partitions may be located and loaded to boot from UEFI pre-boot.

Abstract: Embodiments of information handling systems (IHS) and computer implemented methods are disclosed herein to proactively restore missing firmware components to a computer readable storage device of an IHS. In one embodiment, a method may execute a first set of program instructions, before an operating system (OS) is loaded into a system memory of the IHS, to determine if one or more firmware components previously stored within the computer readable storage device is/are missing. If the first set of program instructions determines at least one firmware component is missing, the method may execute additional program instructions to retrieve a copy of the missing firmware component(s) from a remotely located system, and store the retrieved copy of the missing firmware component(s) within the computer readable storage device. The additional program instructions can be executed before the OS is loaded in some embodiments, and after the OS is loaded in other embodiments.

Abstract: A method may include, during a boot of an information handling system: determining, based on settings stored in non-volatile memory of the information handling system, whether to perform pre-commit execution of a firmware update image prior to committing the firmware update image to a motherboard of the information handling system, and responsive to determining to perform pre-commit execution, load the firmware update image from a basic input/output system partition of a storage resource of the information handling system and execute the firmware update image in lieu of a firmware image stored on the motherboard.

Abstract: An information handling system may include a processor and a basic input/output system comprising a program of instructions executable by the processor and configured to cause the processor to determine if a captured stop error code captured in connection with an operating system stop error occurring during a previous boot session of the information exists on a memory accessible to the basic input/output system and responsive to the captured stop error code existing on the memory, read the captured stop error code and perform a remedial action based on the captured stop error code.

Abstract: A basic input/output system may be configured to, during a boot of the information handling system and responsive to a condition for launching the secondary operating system: initialize a network driver for communicating with a network via a network interface, download from a secure, verified network location within the network a security manifest file for a most recent version of the secondary operating system, the security manifest file comprising metadata regarding a file system layout for the most recent version of the secondary operating system, based on the file system layout of the security manifest file and an actual file system layout of the secondary operating system as stored within an information handling system, determine one or more portions of the secondary operating system requiring update, and download the one or more portions of the secondary operating system and apply the one or more portions to the secondary operating system as stored within the information handling system.

Abstract: An information handling system may include a processor, non-transitory computer readable media communicatively coupled to the processor and having stored thereon a primary operating system of the information handling system and a secondary operating system of the information handling system, and a basic input/output system communicatively coupled to the processor and having provisioned thereon a signed signature of the secondary operating system signed with a private key of a public-private key pair and a public key of the public-private key pair. The basic input/output system is configured to, responsive to a determination to boot to the secondary operating system in lieu of booting to the primary operating system of the information handling system verify the secondary operating system using the signed signature of the secondary operating system and the public key and responsive to verifying the secondary operating system, allow the information handling system to boot to the secondary operating system.

Abstract: Information handling systems (IHS) and methods are provided to automatically synchronize operating system (OS) and boot firmware languages. In one embodiment, a method may detect a change in an active OS language from a first language pack to a second language pack, notify the boot firmware that the active OS language was changed, and provide an identity of the second language pack to the boot firmware during OS runtime. When the IHS is subsequently rebooted, the active boot firmware language may be synchronized to the active OS language. In another embodiment, the method may detect a change in an active boot firmware language from a first language pack to a second language pack, notify the OS that the active boot firmware language was changed, and provide an identity of the second language pack to the OS during a pre-boot phase. When the OS is subsequently booted, the active OS language may be synchronized to the active boot firmware language.

Abstract: An information handling system downloads device drivers for recovery operation of the information handling system, and subsequently obtains first configuration information associated with each of the device drivers. The system performs an inventory of devices associated with the information handling system that includes obtaining second configuration information associated with each of the devices in the inventory, and compares the first configuration information and the second configuration information. If the particular device driver is missing, then the system downloads the particular device driver prior to boot to a service operating system.

Abstract: An information handling system may include a processor, an external port communicatively coupled to the processor and configured to receive an external information handling resource and couple the external information handling resource to the processor, and a basic input/output system comprising a program of instructions executable by the processor.

Abstract: An information handling system may include a processor and a basic input/output system comprising a program of instructions executable by the processor and configured to cause the processor to determine if a captured stop error code captured in connection with an operating system stop error occurring during a previous boot session of the information exists on a memory accessible to the basic input/output system and responsive to the captured stop error code existing on the memory, read the captured stop error code and perform a remedial action based on the captured stop error code.

Abstract: Embodiments of information handling systems (IHS) and computer implemented methods are disclosed herein to restore system firmware to a selected restore point. In one embodiment, the IHS may include a computer readable non-volatile memory configured to store system firmware, a computer readable storage device configured to store an operating system (OS), a system registry, and an OS restore application, and a processing device configured to execute program instructions within the OS restore application to restore the system registry to a selected restore point and reboot the IHS. As the IHS is in the process of being rebooted, the processing device may execute program instructions within a firmware restore application stored within the computer readable non-volatile memory or the computer readable storage device to restore the system firmware to the selected restore point.

Abstract: A method may include determining a configuration of one or more basic input/output system (BIOS) settings identified as influencing security at an information handling system. The method may further include determining a security risk score based on the configuration, and generating a security gauge image that provides a visual indication of the security risk score. The security gauge image may be displayed during BIOS initialization at the information handling system.

Abstract: An information handling system includes a non-volatile memory and a processor configured to determine whether a previous boot of the information handling system was successful while booting the information handling system. If the previous boot of the information handling system was successful, then the processor determines whether current configuration settings of the information handling system match most recent known good configuration settings. If the current configuration settings of the information handling system do not match the most recent known good configuration settings, then the current configuration settings are stored as a most recent restore point in the memory.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs encoded on computer storage medium, for identifying, during a particular boot of an information handling system, basic input/output system (BIOS)-level events, each BIOS-level event associated with a different BIOS log event source; for each BIOS-level event: creating, by a respective driver computing module associated with the BIOS-level event, event data for the BIOS-level event; calling, by the respective driver computing module associated with the BIOS-level event, a dispatcher protocol to provide the event data associated with the respective driver computing module to a dispatcher computing module; placing, by the dispatcher computing module, each of the event data in a temporary data store, wherein each of the event data is unaltered; and creating, by the dispatcher computing module, a database log of the event data, including aggregating each of the event data to generate a sequence of events related to the particular boot of the IHS.

Abstract: An information handling system may include at least one processor, a memory coupled to the at least one processor, and an information handling resource including a firmware. The information handling system may be configured to: boot into an operating system stored on the memory; after booting into the operating system, receive, from at least one remote server, information regarding a vulnerability associated with the firmware; based on a security policy, determine a resolution for mitigation of the vulnerability; and store information regarding the resolution in a storage location accessible to a preboot environment of the information handling system, wherein the preboot environment is configured to apply the resolution upon a subsequent boot of the information handling system.

Abstract: An information handling system may include at least one processor, and a memory coupled to the at least one processor. The information handling system may be configured to: detect a problem during a boot of the information handling system; transmit telemetry data associated with the problem to at least one remote telemetry server, wherein the at least one remote telemetry server is configured to analyze the telemetry data and other telemetry data from other information handling systems; receive resolution instructions from the at least one remote telemetry server; and implement a resolution of the detected problem based on the resolution instructions.

Abstract: Embodiments of information handling systems (IHS) and computer implemented methods are disclosed herein to restore system firmware to a selected restore point. In one embodiment, the IHS may include a computer readable non-volatile memory configured to store system firmware, a computer readable storage device configured to store an operating system (OS), a system registry, and an OS restore application, and a processing device configured to execute program instructions within the OS restore application to restore the system registry to a selected restore point and reboot the IHS. As the IHS is in the process of being rebooted, the processing device may execute program instructions within a firmware restore application stored within the computer readable non-volatile memory or the computer readable storage device to restore the system firmware to the selected restore point.

Abstract: Embodiments of information handling systems (IHS) and computer implemented methods are disclosed herein to proactively restore missing firmware components to a computer readable storage device of an IHS. In one embodiment, a method may execute a first set of program instructions, before an operating system (OS) is loaded into a system memory of the IHS, to determine if one or more firmware components previously stored within the computer readable storage device is/are missing. If the first set of program instructions determines at least one firmware component is missing, the method may execute additional program instructions to retrieve a copy of the missing firmware component(s) from a remotely located system, and store the retrieved copy of the missing firmware component(s) within the computer readable storage device. The additional program instructions can be executed before the OS is loaded in some embodiments, and after the OS is loaded in other embodiments.

Abstract: Systems and methods that may be implemented in a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) pre-boot environment time to dynamically locate and load bootable images stored in one or more operating system (OS) partitions on a system storage device/s (e.g., HDD, SSD) that is formatted with an advanced filesystem (e.g., such as NTFS, EXT3, etc.). An OS-based filesystem-independent method may be provided to access OS filesystem data during UEFI pre-boot time. Individual selected boot images stored across multiple OS filesystem partitions may be located and loaded to boot from UEFI pre-boot.

Abstract: A method allocates a dynamic memory disk located in a pre-boot environment and accessible in the pre-boot environment and in an OS runtime environment. The method may transmit a request to a distribution system for an OS base image and a device driver that includes an identifier of the information handling system. The method receives a response including instructions on how to download the OS base image and the device driver associated with the identifier of the information handling system. The OS base image is modified to include a virtual device driver and an OS deployment agent. The method stores the OS base image and the device driver at the dynamic memory disk. The method loads the OS base image that includes installing an OS in the runtime environment. Then the dynamic memory disk may be mounted by the virtual device driver that may be installed by the OS.