Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for reducing the amount of time to execute a boot sequence, such as a power-on self-test (POST) routine, by eliminating a scan for devices interfaced with a local bus associated with a computer system. A detection circuit interfaces with a card slot through the local bus and generates a status bit indicating whether the configuration of devices for the computer system changed after completion of a first boot sequence. A processor interfaces with the local bus and reads the status bit during a second boot sequence. If the status bit indicates that the computer system device configuration remains the same, the processor eliminates the scan for devices interfaced with the computer system.

Abstract: A method and system for booting a computer system is provided in which the boot order of the computer system is displayed to the user in a manner such that the name of each bootable device and the location of each bootable device in the architecture of the computer system are displayed to the user upon entering a setup routine. The boot order displayed may also identify other information about the bootable devices of the computer system, including the operating and maximum speed of the devices and whether the devices are embedded devices. The boot order may be changed by the user by entering setup and manipulating the displayed list of bootable devices.