Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system for determining a temperature of a component that requires a maximum level of cooling apparatus operation. The system monitors the component's temperature, then may add a compensation offset to account for variations in the manufacture of the component, and then adds a compensation offset to account for variation in the system in which the component is installed. The result is used to determine when the system's cooling apparatus needs to be operated at a maximum level of operation. The sum may be compared to a threshold to make this determination. This same mechanism may be used to determine various other cooling system trigger points, both when to increase cooling as well as decrease cooling.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for testing the operation of a cooling apparatus of an information handling system. The method may include determining a first rotational speed for operating a fan of the cooling apparatus, with the first rotational speed being less than a maximum rotational speed of the fan. The method includes signaling the fan to rotate at the first rotational speed, and detecting a current rotational speed of the fan. The method includes comparing the detected current rotational speed of the fan to the first rotational speed of the fan, and if the detected current rotational speed is substantially equal to or greater than the first rotational speed of the fan, continuing an initialization process of the information handling system; and if the detected current rotational speed of the fan is less than the first rotational speed, causing further testing of the fan.

Abstract: A method and system divides a media space, such as found in a hard drive or other mass storage device, into a portion directly accessible by all software and a portion inaccessible by all software except host Basic Input Output System (BIOS) code. A special procedure to access media space may include a special instruction or instruction set with or without a password to allow hard drive support for READ ONLY partitions, READ ONLY CD-ROM emulation, and other READ ONLY hard drive access requirements. The special procedure may user an expanded ATA command set, an expanded BIOS command set with System Management Mode, or code to temporarily unprotect at least a portion of the portion normally inaccessible by the software other than host BIOS code.

Abstract: A method and system divides a media space, such as found in a hard drive or other mass storage device, into a portion directly accessible by all software and a portion inaccessible by all software except host Basic Input Output System (BIOS) code. A special procedure to access media space may include a special instruction or instruction set with or without a password to allow hard drive support for READ ONLY partitions, READ ONLY CD-ROM emulation, and other READ ONLY hard drive access requirements. The special procedure may user an expanded ATA command set, an expanded BIOS command set with System Management Mode, or code to temporarily unprotect at least a portion of the portion normally inaccessible by the software other than host BIOS code.

Abstract: A method for powering down a computer system is shown. A power button is actuated and an interrupt is generated in response to the actuation of the power button. An unconditional shutdown of the computer system is performed on system software failing to respond to the interrupt. The system software powers down the computer system on the system software responding to the interrupt.