Abstract: A technique includes detecting a presence of a hardware security module in a computer. The hardware security module performs trusted computing base measurements in response to the boot of the computer. The technique includes detecting an intention to change firmware of the computer and regulating providing a message warning about an impact of the change based on the determination. The regulation includes determining whether an operating system of the computer binds operations to the trusted computing base measurements and allowing communication of the message based on the determination.

Abstract: An edge ring, for a plasma etcher, may include a circular bottom portion with an opening sized to receive an electrostatic chuck supporting a semiconductor device, and a circular top portion integrally connected to a first top part of the circular bottom portion. The edge ring may include a circular chamfer portion integrally connected to a second top part of the circular bottom portion and integrally connected to a side of the circular top portion. The circular chamfer portion may include an inner surface that is angled radially outward from the opening at less than ninety degrees.

Abstract: An edge ring, for a plasma etcher, may include a circular bottom portion with an opening sized to receive an electrostatic chuck supporting a semiconductor device, and a circular top portion integrally connected to a first top part of the circular bottom portion. The edge ring may include a circular chamfer portion integrally connected to a second top part of the circular bottom portion and integrally connected to a side of the circular top portion. The circular chamfer portion may include an inner surface that is angled radially outward from the opening at less than ninety degrees.

Abstract: A technique includes detecting a presence of a hardware security module in a computer. The hardware security module performs trusted computing base measurements in response to the boot of the computer. The technique includes detecting an intention to change firmware of the computer and regulating providing a message warning about an impact of the change based on the determination. The regulation includes determining whether an operating system of the computer binds operations to the trusted computing base measurements and allowing communication of the message based on the determination.

Abstract: An edge ring, for a plasma etcher, may include a circular bottom portion with an opening sized to receive an electrostatic chuck supporting a semiconductor device, and a circular top portion integrally connected to a first top part of the circular bottom portion. The edge ring may include a circular chamfer portion integrally connected to a second top part of the circular bottom portion and integrally connected to a side of the circular top portion. The circular chamfer portion may include an inner surface that is angled radially outward from the opening at less than ninety degrees.

Abstract: Examples disclosed herein relate to selecting and loading firmware volumes. A computing device is booted to a state where the computing device is capable of accessing a memory available to multiple other computing devices. The memory includes multiple firmware volumes. In one example, at least one firmware volume is selected based on a hardware configuration or hardware components of the computing device. The selected firmware volumes are loaded.

Abstract: In one example, reclaiming obsolete regions includes a memory organized in aligned memory blocks and storing valid variables in valid regions and obsolete variables in the obsolete regions. A memory includes a buffer region to cache the memory. A controller can search the buffer region for the obsolete regions and pair with respective valid regions and determine if start addresses of the obsolete regions are memory aligned and if not aligned, to write a small portion content of a first valid region to the start address of the aligned memory block, and to write any remaining respective valid region beginning at the start address of the aligned memory block and in multiples of the aligned memory block. Upon completion of a writing, moved respective valid regions begin at the starting address of the obsolete regions and new obsolete regions begin at end addresses of the moved respective valid regions.

Abstract: Examples disclosed herein relate to selecting and loading firmware volumes. A computing device is booted to a state where the computing device is capable of accessing a memory available to multiple other computing devices. The memory includes multiple firmware volumes. In one example, at least one firmware volume is selected based on a hardware configuration or hardware components of the computing device. The selected firmware volumes are loaded.

Abstract: A method for extensible firmware abstraction includes creating a null library and adding null library dependencies to the null library's build file. The null library is associated with a shared firmware module that depends on the null library dependencies for successful execution. A computer processor executes the build file, null library, and shared firmware module to impose the null library dependencies on execution of the shared firmware module.

Abstract: In one example, reclaiming obsolete regions includes a memory organized in aligned memory blocks and storing valid variables in valid regions and obsolete variables in the obsolete regions. A memory includes a buffer region to cache the memory. A controller can search the buffer region for the obsolete regions and pair with respective valid regions and determine if start addresses of the obsolete regions are memory aligned and if not aligned, to write a small portion content of a first valid region to the start address of the aligned memory block, and to write any remaining respective valid region beginning at the start address of the aligned memory block and in multiples of the aligned memory block. Upon completion of a writing, moved respective valid regions begin at the starting address of the obsolete regions and new obsolete regions begin at end addresses of the moved respective valid regions.

Abstract: A system includes a memory buffer to cache a non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory stores a plurality of valid and obsolete variables in a plurality of valid and obsolete regions, respectively. The system further includes a journal region to track movement of valid variables and valid regions within the memory buffer utilizing alternating pairs of structure pointers to indicate at least portions of the plurality of valid and obsolete regions indicative of from where and to where the valid variables move during a write event.

Abstract: Examples disclosed herein relate to updating a commit list to indicate data to be written to a firmware interface (FI) variable repository. Examples include storing target data in a variable repository cache of system management memory of a computing device during a given SMM event, updating a commit list, during the given SMM event, to indicate that the target data is to be written to the FI variable repository, and ending the given SMM event without at least some portion of the target data being written to the FI variable repository during the given SMM event.

Abstract: A method for extensible firmware abstraction includes creating a null library and adding null library dependencies to the null library's build file. The null library is associated with a shared firmware module that depends on the null library dependencies for successful execution. A computer processor executes the build file, null library, and shared firmware module to impose the null library dependencies on execution of the shared firmware module.

Abstract: Examples disclosed herein relate to updating a commit list to indicate data to be written to a firmware interface (FI) variable repository. Examples include storing target data in a variable repository cache of system management memory of a computing device during a given SMM event, updating a commit list, during the given SMM event, to indicate that the target data is to be written to the FI variable repository, and ending the given SMM event without at least some portion of the target data being written to the FI variable repository during the given SMM event.

Abstract: A computer system has extensible firmware interface firmware. The EFI firmware loads incomplete virtual boot data from a resource manager and then completes the boot data. The completed boot data is used to find an operating-system image to boot. The complete virtual boot data is transferred to the resource manager.

Abstract: Booting a computer system using an EFI personality of a different computer system. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including: reading, by a first computer system, a plurality of parameters of an EFI personality of a second computer system different than the first computer system; modifying, by the first computer system, a first parameter of the plurality of parameters thereby creating a modified EFI personality; and booting an operating system on the first computer system based on modified EFI personality.

Abstract: A method of allocating memory in a memory unit includes creating a data structure containing a list of all available memory segments; and assigning a bias to each available memory segment. The bias indicates how to allocate that available memory segment in response to a resource request wherein the resource request is for a new entry in the memory unit that will be fragmented with at least two fragments of the new entry in the memory unit at being at different locations in the memory unit, the bias for an available memory segment comprising an indication of where within the new fragmented entry to be made in the memory unit a corresponding available memory segment should be used.

Abstract: A computer system provides an extensible firmware interface with a pre-start configuration phase. This permits configuring a device prior to beginning a start phase for the device.

Abstract: A computer includes an extensible firmware interface with a storage device enumeration function that performs storage device enumeration operations in parallel.

Abstract: A computer system has extensible firmware interface firmware. The EFI firmware loads incomplete virtual boot data from a resource manager and then completes the boot data. The completed boot data is used to find an operating-system image to boot. The complete virtual boot data is transferred to the resource manager.