KR20000061449A - Self testing method and apparatus in computer system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A device and method for self-testing in a computer system is provided to decide a status of a hardware by outputting a test result with various peripheral devices and to process the test program regardless of an OS(operating system) though the device having the OS is faulted by storing a built-in codes in an extended area of a ROM of the system BIOS. CONSTITUTION: After a power is supplied to a system(300), a BIOS code operating the system for the first time checks a test condition(302), decides a test-on or not(304), confirms a user's input, checks the input for operating the test program or not. If a requirement for testing is inputted, the BIOS sends a system control to the test program for testing(306) and operates the test program(308). If not, the system is normally operated by OS(310). Though a device having the OS is faulted, the test program tests the each component of hardware equipped in the computer. The test program is located in an extended area of a computer system BIOS and is separated from the OS.

Description

Self testing method and apparatus in computer system

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to computer systems, and more particularly, to a self-diagnostic method and apparatus therefor in a computer system capable of diagnosing errors and functions of the system after system power-on.

In the past, it is difficult to determine the cause of the problem directly in case of a system failure, and when the user performs a POST (Power On Self Test) after the power on, the user does not know the progress until the POST to the video card is performed. Is unknown. In addition, if a hardware error occurs during the POST of each function of the system, the test stops and the system stops, making it very difficult to determine the cause of the problem.

At this point, a simple method of rebooting or power cycling the system is to run a pre-test to boot the system via POST. It is difficult to pinpoint the system's errors and failures through POST, and if errors or failures are detected during the POST, the system is stopped as the system stops. .

1 is a flowchart for schematically illustrating a conventional test process.

First, after the system power-on (step 100), the first-ever BIOS performs a series of POSTs before loading the OS from the disk into memory and transferring system control to the OS (step 102). While the OS is started and operated (step 104), a test program for verifying the computer system can be executed (step 106).

In order to run a test program that verifies a computer system, the basic requirement is that the OS be loaded from disk into memory and run properly. These prerequisites cannot start the OS, which is a basic requirement to verify the system if the disk containing the OS is bad. As a result, the test program for determining whether there is an abnormality of the system is also unable to be executed, and thus it is not possible to execute tests for various hardware components built into the computer system.

2 is a flowchart for describing in detail a test result output step in a conventional test process.

First, after the system power-on (step 200), a test program is executed (step 202). Then, the test result is generally displayed on the monitor (step 204). As such, test programs in conventional computer systems typically display the test results on a monitor or store them on a disk, which is a storage medium.

Since the test result of the program for diagnosing the computer hardware is generally displayed on the monitor connected to the computer or the result is stored, the result of the computer failure is displayed when the display screen is not available or the disk is broken. It is almost impossible to figure out.

To do this, professional service technicians must run the test program again, which also cannot accurately identify problems that occurred during the previous test. In the case of an intermittent failure, the failure may not occur even if professional service personnel perform a retest. In such a case, proper measures for the cause of the failure cannot be taken, so failure may occur again after the action.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in an effort to provide a self-diagnostic method in a computer system that executes a test program regardless of an OS even if a device including an OS is wrong.

Another technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is to provide a self-diagnostic method in a computer system that can easily determine the hardware state at the time of the test by outputting the test results to various devices.

Another technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to store a built-in diagnostic code in an extended area of a ROM area of a system BIOS to execute a test program regardless of the OS, and to store the test result in a storage medium accessible in a system power-off state. To provide a self-diagnostic apparatus in a computer system for storing.

1 is a flowchart for schematically illustrating a conventional test process.

2 is a flowchart for describing in detail a test result output step in a conventional test process.

3 is a flowchart for schematically explaining a self-diagnosis method according to the present invention.

4 is a flowchart for describing in detail a self-diagnosis method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a flowchart for explaining in detail the test result output step in the self-diagnostic method according to the present invention.

6 is a block diagram of a self-diagnosis apparatus in a computer system according to the present invention.

For the above problem, the self-diagnostic method in the computer system according to the present invention,

(a) checking the test conditions for whether the user requires normal system booting or execution of a predetermined test program in the first system BIOS code to be performed after the system power-on, and (b) requests for performing the predetermined test program And if present, transfer control of the system to the entry point of the test program, perform the test program, and (c) normally perform the BIOS code if a normal system boot is required.

In order to achieve the above another object, the self-diagnostic method in the computer system according to the present invention,

(a) after the system is powered on, if it is checked in the system BIOS code that is first performed as requiring the user to perform a test program, executing a predetermined test program; (b) displaying the test result for the test program in a nonvolatile memory. Outputting to various devices including (c) and checking the test results through the various devices.

In order to achieve the above object, the self-diagnostic apparatus for a computer system according to the present invention includes a test condition check unit for checking whether a test program is performed after the system is powered on, and a test in a lower region of a memory storing the system BIOS. A test program storage unit for storing the diagnostic code corresponding to the program, a result checked in the test condition check unit, a test execution unit for executing the test program when a test program execution request is requested, and a test for storing the test result executed in the test execution unit A result storage unit, a reading unit for reading the contents stored in the test result storage unit regardless of the power on / off of the system, and a test result storage unit and the auxiliary power supply for supplying power to the reading unit.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, the configuration and operation of the self-diagnostic method and the device in the computer system according to the present invention will be described as follows.

3 is a flowchart for schematically explaining a self-diagnosis method according to the present invention.

First, after the system power-on (step 300), the test condition is checked in the first BIOS code (step 302). It is determined whether the test is on (step 304). A predetermined user input requesting a test as a test condition is checked to check whether an input for executing a test program is input. In other words, the initialization code of the part where the BIOS is executed is checked whether the user requires a normal OS boot or a test program. In addition, the electronic system may check an electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM) region to determine whether there is an option of executing a test program.

If there is a test execution request, the control passes to the entry point of the test program so that the test program can be performed (step 306). The test program is performed (step 308). Even if the device containing the OS is bad, the test program can test the hardware components built into the computer. On the other hand, if it is not in the test on state in step 304, the OS is booted normally (310).

In the above-described self-diagnostic method according to the present invention, the test program is preferably present in the extended area of the computer system BIOS and should be configured in an OS independent form.

4 is a flowchart for describing in detail a self-diagnosis method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, after the system power on (operation 400), it is determined whether the diagnostic program execution is enabled (operation 402). Store the built-in diagnostic code in a subarea of the BIOS ROM that stores the computer system BIOS, and read the test jumper preinstalled on the system board to determine whether the system BIOS should perform normal system BIOS or internal diagnostic code from the initial code of the system BIOS. You can decide.

If the diagnostic program execution is enabled in operation 402, a basic test item is performed (operation 404). As a basic test item, it tests the function to be able to perform VGA when the system is booted. When the basic test item is performed, the VGA is not initialized, so it can output a POST code or let the beeper sound to let the computer user know that the system is running. When the basic test item is performed, the basic test result is stored (step 406). As a storage medium, non-volatile RAM (NVRAM) is preferable.

Next, a detailed test item is performed (step 408). After the VGA has been successfully tested and the test status appears on the monitor, perform the enhanced test in manual or batch form. When the detailed test item is performed, the test state is displayed on the screen to inform the computer user that the system is running. When the detailed test item is performed, the detailed test result is stored (step 410). Similarly, NVRAM is preferred as the storage medium.

If the diagnostic program execution is not enabled in operation 402, a normal system BIOS code is executed (operation 412), and the OS is booted normally (operation 414).

5 is a flowchart for explaining in detail the test result output step in the self-diagnostic method according to the present invention.

First, after the system power on (operation 500), the test program is executed (operation 502). The test result for the test program for diagnosing the hardware failure is output through the CMOS / disk / EEPROM / monitor / RS232 (step 504). Non-volatile memory can use not only CMOS or disk provided by PC, but also EEPROM designed to store test results. Accordingly, the hardware state at the time when the test program is executed can be known at any time.

6 is a block diagram of a self-diagnostic apparatus in a computer system according to the present invention, which includes a test condition check unit 600, a BIOS ROM 612, and a built-in diagnostic code storage unit 614. The execution unit 620, the test result storage unit 630, the reading unit 640, and the auxiliary power source 650 are configured.

Referring to FIG. 6, a built-in diagnostic code storage unit 614 for storing a diagnostic code is provided separately in a lower region of the BIOS ROM 612 that stores a system BIOS. The test condition check unit 600 checks whether the test program is performed after the system is powered on. Check the user input that you want to test to see if there is an input to run the test program, or check whether there is an option to run the test program in the EEPROM area built into the system. In a simple way, the user can install a jumper on the system board and check the test conditions by determining whether the jumper is enabled or not.

If there is a test program execution request, the test condition check unit 600 causes the test program stored in the embedded diagnostic code storage unit 614 to be executed instead of performing a normal system BIOS. The test execution unit 620 reads the diagnostic code stored in the built-in diagnostic code storage unit 614 and executes a test program. The test result storage unit 630 stores test results executed by the test execution unit 620. Here, the test result storage unit 630 is preferably NVRAM.

In order to view the test results stored in the test result storage unit 630, a reader 640 and an auxiliary power source 650 that can access the test result storage unit 630 regardless of system power on / off are required. That is, in a state in which the system is normally booted, the contents stored in the test result storage unit 630 can be read and checked in DOS or Windows. However, when a system failure occurs, the contents stored in the test result storage unit 630 are separately supplied. And reading by reading. Accordingly, it is possible to know the cause of the system failure even when the system is not booted.

As described above, the self-diagnostic method and apparatus in the computer system according to the present invention execute the test program regardless of the OS even if the device including the OS is wrong, and store the test results in various nonvolatile media. You can see the hardware status at the time of testing and have the benefit of being able to make an accurate judgment by a professional service technician or someone who diagnoses a system failure.

Claims (5)

In a self-diagnostic method in a computer system, (a) after system power-on, checking test conditions in the first system BIOS code to be executed whether the user requires normal system booting or execution of a predetermined test program; (b) passing a system control to an entry point of the test program and executing the test program if a predetermined test program execution request is requested; And and (c) if the normal system booting is required, executing the BIOS code normally. According to claim 1, wherein step (b), (b1) performing a basic test item for testing a function for performing a graphics card upon booting of the system; (b2) storing the test results performed in (b2) in a nonvolatile memory; (b3) allowing the graphics card to be successfully tested so that the test status may appear on the monitor, and then performing more advanced test items in the form of a manual or batch; And and (b4) storing the test results performed in the step (b3) in the nonvolatile memory. In a self-diagnostic method in a computer system, (a) after the system is powered on, executing a test program if it is checked in the system BIOS code that is first performed as requiring the user to perform a test program; (b) outputting a test result for the test program to various devices including a nonvolatile memory; And (c) verifying a test result through the various devices. A self diagnostic apparatus in a computer system, A test condition check unit which checks whether a test program is performed after the system is powered on; A test program storage unit which stores a diagnostic code corresponding to the test program in a lower region of the memory storing the system BIOS; A test execution unit that executes the test program if a test program execution request is found as a result of the check in the test condition check unit; A test result storage unit for storing a test result executed by the test execution unit; A reading unit for reading contents stored in the test result storage unit regardless of power on / off of the system; And And an auxiliary power supply for supplying power to the test result storage unit and the reading unit. The method of claim 4, wherein the test result storage unit, A self-diagnostic device, characterized in that it is a nonvolatile memory.