Abstract: A checkstop architecture allows an entire computer system to be immediately halted when a failure(s) or error(s) has occurred at a chip, component, device, sub-system, etc. The present checkstop architecture provides a way of preserving and later providing the state of the computer system at failure or error. The checkstop architecture utilizes a single-wire checkstop that provides a way for quickly stopping all chips in the system and a JTAG that provides a way for querying the error registers in determining which chip pulled checkstop first and what had occurred to cause the error. The present system and method also utilizes a service processor, various computer devices, and at least one central checkstop collection location. The occurrence of the checkstop at one of the computer devices is detected by its internal checkstop operation. The occurrence of the checkstop is driven to the at least one central checkstop collection location, all other of the computer devices, and the service processor.

Abstract: A sequenced initialization used for maximizing detection of errors and failures and triggering of respective attention signals. A number of computer devices each having a JTAG interface, an attention distribution sub-system, and a service processor are provided. Each computer device is inaccessible during a built in self test (BIST) and is coupled to an error register bit. Fences for computer devices are put up so that the inputs are in a known state and computer devices driving the inputs have no effect. BISTs for computer devices are performed as they are released from reset. Determination of when BISTs are complete and if each BIST has passed is performed.