Abstract: An IBM PC compatible processing system typically has a BIOS installed as system firmware. During a boot process of the processing system, the BIOS loads a boot loader from one of the boot media, i.e., hard drives, floppy disks, CDs, USB flash memories, taps, etc. and passes control of the boot loader, the boot loader then loads an OS from the boot media. The present invention takes advantage of the higher reliability and availability provided by the system flash memory and stores a boot loader as system firmware in the system flash memory. Further, it provides changes in the BIOS boot process to load the boot loader from system memory, the ROM, for example, without relying on boot media. With this new process, the boot loader can be loaded even when the boot media is corrupt, defective or un-initialized.

Abstract: A memory system includes a flash ROM for storing the instructions for the BIOS, as well as a flash recovery ROM and a utility for programming both flash ROMs. The memory system also provides for flash disaster recovery in order to enable reprogramming of the BIOS ROM during a condition when the data in the BIOS ROM is found to be corrupt. In particular, the flash recovery ROM is provided with a hardware protected block. Sufficient BIOS instructions (e.g., initialization functions) are provided in the protected area of the flash recovery ROM in order to enable the BIOS ROM to be reprogrammed by way of a flash recovery utility when the BIOS ROM becomes corrupt.