Abstract: An improved process for updating a nonvolatile memory of a computer system includes selecting a logical area of the nonvolatile memory to update. Protected procedures are copied from one of the selected logical area and an update file. Information from the update file is copied to the nonvolatile memory in accordance with the copied protected procedures. Another method of updating the nonvolatile memory includes selecting at least a portion of the nonvolatile memory to update. Protected procedures including an updated memory map are copied from an update file. Information from the update file is copied to the nonvolatile memory in accordance with the copied protected procedures. An update file to facilitate the improved update processes includes a header section and a update information section. The update information section includes updated code and data for the nonvolatile memory.

Abstract: A computer system wherein a portion of code/data stored in a non-volatile memory device can be dynamically modified or updated without removing any covers or parts from the computer system. The computer system of the preferred embodiment includes a flash memory component coupled to a computer system bus for storing non-volatile code and data. Using the present invention, the contents of a portion of the flash memory may be replaced, modified, updated, or reprogrammed without the need for removing and/or replacing any computer system hardware components. The flash memory device used in the preferred embodiment contains four separately erasable/programmable non-symmetrical blocks of memory. One of these four blocks may be electronically locked to prevent erasure or modification of its contents once it is installed. This configuration allows the processing logic of the computer system to update or modify any selected block of memory without affecting the contents of other blocks.

Abstract: A computer system wherein a paging technique is used to expand the useable non-volatile memory capacity beyond a fixed address space limitation. The computer system of the preferred embodiment includes a flash memory component for storing non-volatile code and data including a system BIOS in the upper 128K of memory. The useful BIOS memory space is effectively increased while maintaining the address boundary of the upper 128K region. The address space of the non-volatile memory device is logically separated into distinct pages of memory (Pages 1-4). Using the apparatus and techniques of the present invention, Page 1, Page 3 and Page 4 may be individually swapped into the address space originally occupied by Page 1 (the swappable page area). In the preferred embodiment, Page 2 is held static and thus is not used as a swap area. Each of the swappable pages, Page 1, Page 3, and Page 4, contain processing logic called swapping logic used during the swapping or paging operation.