Abstract: Upon initialization or startup of an electronic device, the device checks a predetermined section of non-volatile memory, referred to as the signature byte or lock byte, and allows either the manufacturing mode which allows for installation of the final or production version of firmware to be loaded into non-volatile memory, or the production mode which write-protects certain portions of non-volatile memory before giving operating control of the electronic device to another program, for example, an operating system. By only allowing execution of operating system or other executable code after write-protecting certain portions of non-volatile memory, system security, integrity, and robustness are substantially increased.

Abstract: In a method of building a firmware component to execute a sequence of instructions in a device having a computer, a plurality of build files is processed to form a set of buildable statements of hardware policy. The buildable statements are decoded to form a Configuration Manager namespace. Contents of the Configuration Manager namespace are linked to a UEFI compatible kernel program having a Configuration Manager capability. Alternatively, a data stream representing the contents of the Configuration Manager namespace is encoded to form a Configuration Manager database readable by the UEFI compatible kernel program at a run-time. A plurality of UEFI device driver programs and the UEFI compatible kernel program are linked to form the firmware component.

Abstract: Methods, systems, apparatuses and program products for providing for communications within a computing environment that provides for execution isolation, especially a DXE (Driver Execution Environment) phase of a PC (personal computer) startup process. Provision is made for blocking of server threads awaiting service requests and blocking client thread awaiting server responses, together with marshalling formal parameter descriptions and service request/response arguments across disparate execution contexts that disallow simple data redirection between them.

Abstract: Execution context isolation during the DXE phase of computer start-up. Provision is made for referencing and dereferencing execution contexts and thereby providing execution isolation across contexts. In response to invoking a BIOS kernel function during a Driver Execution Environment (DXE) phase of a boot-up of the computer, the BIOS kernel associates a first processor context with the sequence of instructions, determines that scheduling the sequence of instructions requires a switch from a second processor context to the first processor context, performs a context switch action, during the DXE phase of the boot-up of the computer, to switch from the second processor context to the first processor context.

Abstract: Methods, systems and program products provide platform customization in building of Unified Extensible Firmware Interface based Personal Computer firmware, typically but not essentially as BIOS. Provision is made for a conceptual matrix of Board module, Silicon (or chipset) modules together with core and foundation modules; this supersedes prior approaches that are often based on hierarchical (or inverse hierarchy) structured source codes. A Platform module resides architecturally between Silicon and Board modules. By largely removing the Platform module found in previously developed solutions and introducing a Board module OEM, customizations are separated from actual platform code (and also from core functions). This allows the customization footprint to be much smaller thus easing the programming efforts of porting products to reflect hardware development.

Abstract: A method and system for enabling peer to peer synchronization between members of a synchronized network. A predefined synchronization reference area on each member of the network is provided. A common identifier associated with the synchronization network is provided to each member. Changes are detected on a member regarding a data item. A network identifier associated is obtained. A unique identifier of a synchronization module is obtained. A relative path to the data item within the predefined synchronization reference area is obtained. A unique value is calculated based upon a content of a version of the data item that is associated with the change. A log number counter is incremented. A log representing the data item and the chance is created. The log includes data regarding the type of change, the network identifier, the unique identifier of the synchronization module, the relative path, the unique value, and the log number.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and program products are disclosed for dynamic link loading in extensible firmware interface compliant systems. Provision is made for loading a microkernel (or other kernel program) which presents itself as though it were a DXE Driver and hooks and redirects a loadmodule service of a DXE Foundation core program to a DLL aware loader. Further aspects of the invention provide related, analogous and similar capabilities.

Abstract: Approaches that allow the context of an SMI task to be saved between SMIs. Upon entering an SMI handler for a task, a new task context stack is created. Thereafter, the SMI handler uses the task context, leaving the original stack unchanged. When the time limit for a single SMI is almost reached, the CPU is directed back to the original stack, and the task context stack persists in memory and retains the context of the task in hand. The soft SMI exits with an indication to signify that a new SMI should be invoked to continue processing. The entity that caused the first soft SMI then invokes another, passing in an indication to signify that this is a continuation of the prior task. On entering the SMI handler, the handler notes the request for continuation, switches to the saved task context stack and continues processing where it left off.