Abstract: An apparatus supports the sharing of a resource among computer applications. The computer system has a processor which adapted for executing a first application in a first mode of operation and a second application in a second mode of operation. The computer system also has a communication port adapted to receive the resource. The communication port is normally allocated to receive accesses from the second application. The computer system also has a virtual port for emulating the communication port. The virtual port diverts accesses from the first application directed at the communication port and buffers the accesses in the virtual port. An arbitrator is connected to the processor, the communication port, and the virtual port. The arbitrator claims the communication port from the second application and forwards accesses received by the virtual port to the communication port if the first application is accessing the resource and if the communication port is idle.

Abstract: A computer system includes a timer which times out if the operating system of the computer system does not periodically reset the timer. When the computer system fails and no longer resets the timer, the timer times out, and the computer system is reset. The computer system performs its power on program and checks the memory array for bad memory blocks, which are mapped out of the memory. Next, the computer system alerts the operator of the failure using a pager. The computer system then reboots itself from a hard drive having two separate bootable partitions, one for the operating system in the first partition, and one for a diagnostics program in the second partition, so that an operator may diagnose and remedy the problem. The operator may set an indication of which partition to use for booting. The system further provides for remote access so that the operator may interact with the diagnostics program from a remote location.

Abstract: In a computer system with a host bus and an EISA bus, devices typically implemented on an EISA bus are instead implemented on a host bus. These devices are still accessed with EISA commands, however, and an EISA bus controller bridge between the host bus and EISA bus is disabled on such accesses by being made to think that the actual command being executed on the host bus is a local memory command. This permits the EISA device to respond to EISA I/O and memory operations directed at addresses that it would normally respond to when connected to the EISA bus.

Abstract: A computer system includes a timer which times out if the operating system of the computer system does not periodically reset the timer. When the computer system fails and no longer resets the timer, the timer times out, and the computer system is reset. The computer system performs its power,on program and checks the memory array for bad memory blocks, which are mapped out of the memory. Next, the computer system alerts the operator of the failure using a pager. The computer system then reboots itself from a hard drive having two separate bootable partitions, one for the operating system in the first partition, and one for a diagnostics program in the second partition, so that an operator may diagnose and remedy the problem. The operator may set an indication of which partition to use for booting. The computer system further provides for remote access so that the operator may interact with the diagnostics program from a remote location.

Abstract: A computer having an improved keyboard/auxiliary device interface controller which supports the selective restriction of user interaction with the computer system, while maintaining the full internal functionality of the host/peripheral interface. A "password lock mode" of the improved controller prevents users from gaining unauthorized access to the computer system, but still application and operating system software can continue to issue commands to and receive responses from the otherwise disabled peripheral devices. The improved controller does not require modification to the conventional keyboard/auxiliary device hardware.