Abstract: A method and related apparatuses support booting despite deficient system resources. In one embodiment, a processing system includes two or more devices in a peripheral connect interface (PCI) subsystem, as well as instructions encoded in a machine accessible medium. The instructions, when executed during a process of booting the processing system, may determine whether sufficient resources are available for the devices. The instructions may also retrieve boot information from an extended firmware interface (EFI) environment of the processing system, and may automatically identify a device as boot-critical, based on that boot information. The instructions may also identify a device to be rejected, and may automatically allocate resources for the boot-critical device but not for the rejected device, before the processing system boots the OS, if sufficient resources for the devices are not available. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A method and system to manage an extension mechanism for firmware is described. A firmware binary file is stored in an extension area of a storage device of a computer system. The Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) of the computer system is modified to access the stored firmware binary file stored in the extension area. In one embodiment, the computer system is Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) compliant.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for generating a delay time using a counter are disclosed. In particular, the methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture determine a number of loops value associated with the delay time and at least one characteristic value associated with a counter. A remaining count value is then determined based on the number of loops value. The delay time is generated with the counter based on the number of loops value and the remaining count value.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for protecting a firmware runtime environment are described herein. In one embodiment, a process example is provided to retrieve a first key from a secure store of a firmware within a platform, the firmware including an initialization table for initializing the platform, and verify the initialization table using the first key retrieved from the secure store during an initialization of the platform. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.

Abstract: A method and related apparatuses support booting despite deficient system resources. In one embodiment, a processing system includes two or more devices in a peripheral connect interface (PCI) subsystem, as well as instructions encoded in a machine accessible medium. The instructions, when executed during a process of booting the processing system, may determine whether sufficient resources are available for the devices. The instructions may also retrieve boot information from an extended firmware interface (EFI) environment of the processing system, and may automatically identify a device as boot-critical, based on that boot information. The instructions may also identify a device to be rejected, and may automatically allocate resources for the boot-critical device but not for the rejected device, before the processing system boots the OS, if sufficient resources for the devices are not available. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses provide for incremental provisioning of software for a processing system. For instance, a processing system may include a machine accessible medium and a processor in communication with the machine accessible medium. In addition, instructions encoded in the machine accessible medium may cause the processing system to automatically determine whether a storage device in the processing system includes modified blocks, based at least in part on a write log file that identifies blocks that were modified during a user session on the processing system. In response to identifying at least one modified block in the storage device, the processing system may automatically replace data in the modified block with backup data from a different storage device. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A method and related apparatuses support booting despite deficient system resources. In one embodiment, a processing system includes two or more devices in a peripheral connect interface (PCI) subsystem, as well as instructions encoded in a machine accessible medium. The instructions, when executed during a process of booting the processing system, may determine whether sufficient resources are available for the devices. The instructions may also retrieve boot information from an extended firmware interface (EFI) environment of the processing system, and may automatically identify a device as boot-critical, based on that boot information. The instructions may also identify a device to be rejected, and may automatically allocate resources for the boot-critical device but not for the rejected device, before the processing system boots the OS, if sufficient resources for the devices are not available. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for protecting a firmware runtime environment are described herein. In one embodiment, a process example is provided to retrieve a first key from a secure store of a firmware within a platform, the firmware including an initialization table for initializing the platform, and verify the initialization table using the first key retrieved from the secure store during an initialization of the platform. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for an event handling mechanism are described. Under an embodiment of the invention, a method comprises setting a timer for a plurality of time intervals; calling a polling function at the end of each of the plurality of time intervals, the polling function being performed by a first processor; and if the polling function results in a positive result, processing the results of the polling function with a second processor.

Abstract: A method and system to manage an extension mechanism for firmware is described. A firmware binary file is stored in an extension area of a storage device of a computer system. The Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) of the computer system is modified to access the stored firmware binary file stored in the extension area. In one embodiment, the computer system is Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) compliant.

Abstract: A basic input and output system (BIOS) for a computer system includes a main engine to call and run routines. Some of the routines require resource accesses. A synchronization module is provided to synchronize the resource accesses. The synchronization module allows concurrent resource accesses to different resources. A method of synchronizing resource accesses in a basic input and output system of a computer system is also described.

Abstract: Parallel execution of peripheral drivers on a multi-processor and/or hyper-threading enabled processor is described. According to one embodiment of the invention, two peripheral drivers are executed concurrently during a boot sequence. These peripheral drivers are executed on a first and a second processor. The processors may be logical or physical processors.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses provide for incremental provisioning of software for a processing system. For instance, a processing system may include a machine accessible medium and a processor in communication with the machine accessible medium. In addition, instructions encoded in the machine accessible medium may cause the processing system to automatically determine whether a storage device in the processing system includes modified blocks, based at least in part on a write log file that identifies blocks that were modified during a user session on the processing system. In response to identifying at least one modified block in the storage device, the processing system may automaticaUy replace data in the modified block with backup data from a different storage device. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A method and related apparatuses support booting despite deficient system resources. In one embodiment, a processing system includes two or more devices in a peripheral connect interface (PCI) subsystem, as well as instructions encoded in a machine accessible medium. The instructions, when executed during a process of booting the processing system, may determine whether sufficient resources are available for the devices. The instructions may also retrieve boot information from an extended firmware interface (EFI) environment of the processing system, and may automatically identify a device as boot-critical, based on that boot information. The instructions may also identify a device to be rejected, and may automatically allocate resources for the boot-critical device but not for the rejected device, before the processing system boots the OS, if sufficient resources for the devices are not available. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to operate in multiple phases of a basic input/output system (BIOS) are described herein. In an example method, an initialization driver retrieves resources associated with a plurality of phases of the BIOS from an initialization library to initialize a platform. Based on the resources, the initialization driver is executed in a first phase and a second phase of the BIOS.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for an event handling mechanism are described. Under an embodiment of the invention, a method comprises setting a timer for a plurality of time intervals; calling a polling function at the end of each of the plurality of time intervals, the polling function being performed by a first processor; and if the polling function results in a positive result, processing the results of the polling function with a second processor.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses provide for incremental provisioning of software for a processing system. For instance, a processing system may include a machine accessible medium and a processor in communication with the machine accessible medium. In addition, instructions encoded in the machine accessible medium may cause the processing system to automatically determine whether a storage device in the processing system includes modified blocks, based at least in part on a write log file that identifies blocks that were modified during a user session on the processing system. In response to identifying at least one modified block in the storage device, the processing system may automatically replace data in the modified block with backup data from a different storage device. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for generating a delay time using a counter are disclosed. In particular, the methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture determine a number of loops value associated with the delay time and at least one characteristic value associated with a counter. A remaining count value is then determined based on the number of loops value. The delay time is generated with the counter based on the number of loops value and the remaining count value.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the invention, a method and apparatus for symmetric scheduling for parallel execution is described. An embodiment of a method comprises building a queue having one or more drivers; and executing the one or more drivers in the queue using a plurality of processors, wherein the execution of drivers by each of the plurality of processors includes determining whether there is a driver in the queue, determining whether the driver is ready for execution, and if the driver is ready for execution, executing the driver.

Abstract: Parallel execution of peripheral drivers on a multi-processor and/or hyper-threading enabled processor is described. According to one embodiment of the invention, two peripheral drivers are executed concurrently during a boot sequence. These peripheral drivers are executed on a first and a second processor. The processors may be logical or physical processors.