JP6723400B1 - Information processing apparatus and information processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information processing apparatus and an information processing method capable of more reliably detecting the stop of the progress of POST processing. A processing unit executes processing based on system firmware, and a control unit controls the processing. Further, the processing unit outputs progress information indicating a progress status of the process to the control unit during execution of the process before the operating system is activated, and the control unit outputs the progress information before the completion of the process. The abnormality of the process is detected based on the timing of input of. [Selection diagram] Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to an information processing device and an information processing method.

A computer that constitutes the information processing apparatus is equipped with system firmware for providing an interface between hardware and various programs. The system firmware relates to the operation of the entire computer system, and is also called platform firmware, BIOS (Basic Input/Output System), or the like. Various programs include an operating system (OS: Operating System), a device driver, and an application program (hereinafter referred to as an application).

The system firmware is a program for executing a POST (Power On Self Test) process from the start of power supply to the computer until the OS starts loading. The POST process includes processes such as verification of the normality of the system firmware code, detection of the device connected to the device itself, and initialization of the detected device. The system firmware is usually stored in a nonvolatile memory such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) together with various parameters required for execution.

Since the system firmware may be damaged, the POST process may hang up and the OS may not be started. Execution of BIOS self-healing has been proposed for the purpose of more surely booting the OS. The BIOS self-repair is a process of detecting whether or not the BIOS image is damaged and repairing the BIOS image (firmware recovery) when the damage is detected. In addition, with respect to individual devices, the correspondence for each device included in the information processing apparatus, for example, repair of firmware for each device may be performed.

JP, 2003-345617, A

However, at the time when the progress of the POST process was stopped, it could not be detected spontaneously. As a result, the stage at which the progress of the POST process has stopped cannot be identified, and therefore, the restoration suitable for that stage may not be performed. For example, it may not be possible to identify the stage at which initialization of a device has stopped, and it may not be possible to take measures for the device.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an information processing apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes a processing unit that executes processing based on system firmware before an operating system starts up, And a control unit for controlling the process, wherein the processing unit outputs progress information indicating a progress status of the process to the control unit during execution of the process, and the control unit outputs the progress information before completion of the process. The abnormality of the process is detected based on the timing when the progress information is input.

In the above information processing device, the control unit determines the occurrence of the abnormality based on an elapsed time from a time when the progress information is last input to a time when an operation stop of the own device is instructed, and the abnormality occurs. When determining, the abnormality information indicating the abnormality may be stored.

In the above information processing device, the progress information indicates a process in which execution is completed, and when the control unit is instructed to stop the operation of the device, the control unit completes the execution based on the last input progress information. An uncompleted process, which is a process that has not been performed, may be estimated, and the type of the incomplete process may be determined based on category data indicating a category for each process included in the process.

In the above information processing apparatus, the control unit may set restoration of the system firmware when the incomplete process is a process relating to verification of the system firmware.

In the above information processing device, when the incomplete process is a process related to a device connected to the processing unit, the control unit may set omission of a process related to the device.

In the above information processing apparatus, when the incomplete process is a process related to a device connected to the processing unit, the control unit may set repair of device-specific firmware related to the process related to the device.

An information processing method according to a second aspect of the present invention is a method of an information processing apparatus including a processing unit that executes a process based on system firmware before an operating system starts up, and a control unit that controls the process. The processing unit outputs progress information indicating the progress status of the process to the control unit during execution of the process, and the control unit inputs the progress information before the completion of the process. A step of detecting an abnormality in the processing based on the timing.

According to the above aspect of the present invention, the stop of the progress of the POST processing can be detected more reliably. Further, it is possible to identify the stage where the progress of the POST process is stopped.

It is a schematic block diagram which shows the hardware structural example of the information processing apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is a block diagram showing an example of functional composition of an information processor concerning this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of the category data of the system firmware which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of the processing history which concerns on this embodiment. It is a flow chart which shows an example of POST processing concerning this embodiment. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of abnormality detection processing according to the present embodiment. It is a flow chart which shows an example of restoration setting processing concerning this embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, a configuration example of the information processing device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a hardware configuration example of an information processing apparatus 10 according to this embodiment.
The information processing device 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, an MCH (Memory Controller Hub) 13 a, an ICH (I/O: Input-output Controller Hub) 13 b, a system memory 15, a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit 17) Unit. , HDD 21, communication module 23, firmware ROM (Read Only Memory) 25, NVRAM (Non-volatile Random Access Memory) 27, EC (Embedded Controller) 31, power supply unit 35, power button 37 and input device 39. It

The ICH 13b is connected to the communication module 23. The communication module 23 wirelessly transmits and receives various data to and from other devices using a predetermined communication method. As the predetermined communication method, for example, a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) communication method specified by IEEE 802.11 or a wireless personal area network (wireless PAN: Personal Area Network) specified by IEEE 802.15.1 is used. It is possible.
The firmware ROM 25 is a non-volatile memory that stores system firmware. The firmware ROM 25 is, for example, a SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) flash ROM. The system firmware is so-called BIOS. The BIOS is, for example, System BIOS firmware that employs a software interface defined by UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface).
The NVRAM 27 is a non-volatile memory that can store various kinds of information.

The EC 31 is a microcomputer independently including a processor such as a CPU, a memory such as a RAM (Random Access Memory), and a ROM, separately from the CPU 11. The EC 31 includes an input controller for processing an operation signal input from the input device 39. An ICH 13b, a power supply unit 35, a power button 37, and an input device 39 are connected to the EC 31.
The power supply unit 35 supplies electric power required for operation to each device of the information processing device 10 under the control of the EC 31.

The power button 37 receives a user operation, and when pressed, outputs a start control signal to the power unit 35 via the EC 31. The power supply unit 35 supplies power to the main device when the activation control signal is input while power supply to most devices (hereinafter, main device) other than the EC 31 and the device specifically designated is stopped. To start supplying. When the activation control signal is input from the power button 37 during the supply of power to the main device, the power supply unit 35 stops the supply of power to the main device. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the main device corresponds to the CPU 11, MCH 13a, ICH 13b, system memory 15, GPU 17, display 19, HDD 21, communication module 23, firmware ROM 25, NVRAM 27, and input device 39. Further, among the main devices, the minimum device required to exhibit the function of the information processing apparatus 10 is called a basic device. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the basic device corresponds to the CPU 11, MCH 13a, ICH 13b, system memory 15, GPU 17, display 19 and NVRAM 27. In addition, main devices other than the basic device are called peripheral devices. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the HDD 21 and the communication module 23 correspond to peripheral devices.

The input device 39 receives a user operation and outputs an operation signal corresponding to the received operation to the EC 27. The input device 39 includes, for example, any one of a keyboard, a mouse, a touch sensor, or any combination thereof.
The MCH 13a may be integrated with the ICH 13b and configured as one chipset 13.

(Function configuration)
Next, a functional configuration example of the information processing device 10 will be described.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration example of the information processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment.
The information processing device 10 includes a processing unit 110 and a control unit 120.

The CPU 11 starts booting when detecting the start of power supply from the power supply unit 35. Booting refers to a series of processes from the start of power supply until the entire information processing apparatus 10 becomes available. Booting includes POST processing performed according to system firmware. The POST process is also called preboot. When detecting the start of power supply, the CPU 11 first reads the system firmware from the firmware ROM 25, and starts the process instructed by the instruction described in the read system firmware. This process corresponds to the POST process. On the other hand, the CPU 11 stops its operation (shutdown) when the power supply from the power supply unit 35 is stopped.

In the present application, executing a process indicated by an instruction described in various programs (including system firmware and OS) may be referred to as “executing a program”. Further, starting the execution of the program may be referred to as “starting the program”. Executing the process instructed by the driver is sometimes called “executing the driver”. The CPU 11 executes the read system firmware and functions as the processing unit 110. The processing unit 110 includes a POST processing unit 112 and a progress information management unit 114.

The system firmware includes a plurality of drivers (commands). The plurality of drivers is a layered collection of processes (commands) for a category (classification) classified by one or a plurality of predetermined functions or devices. A status code is preset for each driver as identification information of the driver. The status code includes identification information common to each category to which the corresponding driver belongs (for example, a number with a predetermined number of digits from the highest digit).
Also, the steps instructed by the individual drivers are executed in the order pre-arranged in the system firmware. The plurality of drivers arranged in the system firmware are further subdivided into the above categories or the categories, and are divided into segments (sections) each including a plurality of drivers whose order is adjacent to each other. One segment belongs to any category, but one category does not always correspond to one segment. In the system firmware, an anchor point indicating the end of each segment is preset and distinguished from the segment immediately after it. Therefore, the status code corresponding to the driver that has completed execution can be regarded as progress information indicating the progress of the POST process.

The POST processing unit 112 sequentially executes each of the plurality of drivers that form the system firmware in a preset order. To execute sequentially means to start execution of the next driver after completing the execution of a certain driver. When the POST processing unit 112 acquires a predetermined return value (response) as a processing result for a certain driver, it can determine that the execution is completed. The POST processing unit 112 notifies the progress information management unit 114 of execution completion information indicating the driver that has completed execution. Then, after the POST processing unit 112 completes the processing of the entire system firmware, the CPU 11 activates the OS (OS boot). That is, it can be said that the POST processing unit 112 executes the POST processing based on the system firmware before booting the OS.

The progress information management unit 114 manages the progress information of the POST processing by referring to the execution completion information input from the POST processing unit 112. The progress information management unit 114 outputs progress information indicating power-on to the control unit 120 when detecting the start of power supply to the self unit (power-on).
The progress information management unit 114 outputs the progress information indicating the status code to the control unit 120 every time the status code indicated by the execution completion information reaches a predetermined anchor point.

Next, a configuration example of the system firmware will be described. The drivers that make up the system firmware are classified into a basic device initialization code, a consistency verification code, a device detection code, a system setting code, and a boot management code. The device detection code is further classified for each individual device. The system firmware contains a set of parameters used to execute the individual code.

The basic device initialization code is a code for instructing detection, initialization of the basic device, and recording (loading) of the system firmware in the system memory 15. The system firmware contains a parameter set consisting of one or more parameters for executing the driver described by those codes.
The consistency verification code is a code that describes a driver that instructs verification of the consistency of system firmware. Consistency verification is the process of determining the integrity and reliability of the entire system firmware. The consistency verification code may include repair code for repairing a portion of the system firmware. The repair code includes, for example, a code in which a driver indicating the repair of the code indicated by the repair target code information (described later) is described.

The device detection code is a code that describes a driver that instructs a device detection process. The device detection process is a process of detecting another device connected to the basic device and initializing the detected other device. The other device to be detected corresponds to the above peripheral device. As the processing result of the device detection processing, the boot device information indicating whether or not the operation is enabled (enabled/disabled) for each detected device is stored in the system memory 15 in association with the system setting information. The system setting information is referred to when the OS is started.

The system setting code is a code that instructs the system setting process. The system setting process is a process of providing a user interface for system setting and defining one or more parameters constituting the system setting information. The system setting process includes, for example, a process of displaying a predetermined system setting screen on the display 19 and setting a parameter set designated or selected by an operation signal input from the input device 39 within a predetermined period from the start of display. Be done. In the system setting process, when the operation signal is not input even after a predetermined period of time, a process of setting the parameter of the system setting information included in the system firmware or the parameter stored in the NVRAM 29 in advance in the system memory 15. Is included.

The boot management code is a code (boot manager) that describes a driver that instructs system boot processing (OS boot). The system activation process is a process of reading an OS loader stored in advance from a predetermined storage area of the HDD 21 and storing (loading) it in the system memory 15.
After the POST processing is completed, the CPU 11 executes the OS loader to read the OS module, device driver, etc. from the HDD 21 and store (load) them in the system memory 15. After that, the CPU 11 boots the OS. When activating the OS, the CPU 11 refers to the device setting information and activates the device specified as operable. The peripheral device other than the HDD 21 corresponds to the device activated at this stage.

Next, an example of category data of the system firmware according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of category data of the system firmware according to this embodiment. The category data indicates the driver category for each status code. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the status code is represented by a 4-digit hexadecimal number. "H" at the end of the status code is a code indicating a hexadecimal number. The first digit of the status code indicates an individual category, and the remaining three digits distinguish the driver in each category. The first digit "0" of the status code indicates "Others", that is, other device or function. The category related to “0” includes drivers that respectively configure the basic device initialization code, the system setting code, and the boot management code. “1”, “2”, “3”, “4”, and “5” are respectively “Memory”, “I/O IF1”, “WLAN”, “WWAN”, and “I/O IF2”, that is, The device-specific codes relating to the storage medium, the first type input/output interface, the wireless local area network device, the wireless wide area network device, and the second type input/output interface are shown. “F” is a category related to “Management Engine” (management engine). The category related to “F” includes, for example, drivers related to power control, anti-theft function, and copyright management of digital data.

Returning to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the functional configuration of the EC 31 will be described. The EC 31 operates independently of the CPU 11. Even if the power supply to the CPU 11 is stopped, the power supply to the EC 31 is continued. The EC 31 functions as the control unit 120 by executing a predetermined firmware loaded in advance in its own memory. The firmware executed by the EC 31 is separate from the system firmware that the CPU 11 first starts executing. In the following description, the firmware executed by the EC 31 may be referred to as EC firmware. The control unit 120 includes a progress information storage unit 122, an abnormality detection unit 124, and a repair setting unit 126.

The progress information storage unit 122 stores the progress information input from the processing unit 110 each time it is input, and forms it as a processing history (log). In the processing history, progress information is accumulated in the order of input. More specifically, the progress information storage unit 122 stores a set including the input progress information, a time record indicating the time at that time, and a category corresponding to the progress information. The stored set becomes a component of the processing history. The example of the processing history shown in FIG. 4 includes an ID, a status code (progress information), a time record, a period, and a category.

The ID shown in the first column of FIG. 4 is a number indicating the order of individual progress information. The status code is not always described in the status code column shown in the second column. In the second column, for example, “Power On” is described in association with ID “1”. “Power On” indicates the start of power supply. The time record shown in the third column indicates the time when the corresponding progress information is input. The period shown in the fourth column indicates the elapsed time from the time when the progress information immediately before that time is input to the time when the progress information at that time is input. The progress information accumulating unit 122 defines the elapsed time from the time indicated by the time record associated with the immediately preceding progress information to the time at which the progress information is input at that time as a period, and defines the determined period as the progress information. Correlate and store. However, since "Power On" corresponding to the ID "1" in FIG. 4 is the first progress information, "0" (ms) is associated and described as the period. As the category shown in the fifth column, category information corresponding to the status code input as the progress information is described. The progress information storage unit 122 refers to the category data of the system firmware stored in advance in the storage medium of the EC 31 to identify the category corresponding to the input status code, and associates the identified category with the status code. Attach and memorize. However, since "Power On" is not a status code, the category cannot be specified, and the category column corresponding to the ID "1" in the fifth column is blank. The ID may be omitted in the processing history.

The abnormality detection unit 124 (FIG. 2) detects an abnormality in the POST processing based on the processing history accumulated by the progress information accumulation unit 122. For example, when the POST process is not yet completed and the end of the operation of the own device is detected, the abnormality detection unit 124 determines the occurrence of the hang-up of the POST process as one form of the abnormal phenomenon. The abnormality detection unit 124 can detect the end of the operation of its own device, for example, when the activation control information is input from the power button 37 during the supply of power from the power supply unit 35 to the main device. At this time, the CPU 11 starts shutdown of the OS, and when the shutdown is completed, the operation of the information processing device 10 ends. This is because the input of progress information from the processing unit 110 is stopped when a hangup occurs in the POST processing. The hang-up means a state in which a predetermined response cannot be obtained as a processing result for a certain driver, and the progress to the subsequent processing is stopped.

When detecting the end of the operation, the abnormality detection unit 124 stores the progress information indicating the shutdown and the time record indicating the time when the end of the operation is associated in the progress information storage unit 122 in association with each other. The abnormality detection unit 124 stores the period, which is the elapsed time from the time corresponding to the time record corresponding to the immediately preceding progress information until the time when the end of the operation is detected, in the progress information storage unit 122 in association with the progress information. To do. The previous progress information corresponds to the progress information last input from the processing unit 110 to the progress information storage unit 122 before detecting the end of the operation. Then, the abnormality detection unit 124 determines that a hang-up of the POST processing has occurred when the elapsed time is equal to or greater than a threshold of the predetermined elapsed time (for example, 2 to 5 seconds). The threshold value of the elapsed time may be a value that is significantly larger than the normal processing time for the segment immediately after the driver indicated by the progress information that is input last. When determining that a hangup has occurred, the abnormality detection unit 124 adds abnormality information indicating the occurrence of the hangup to the progress information and stores it. When the elapsed time is less than the threshold of the predetermined elapsed time, it is determined that the POST processing hang-up has not occurred. In the example shown in the ninth line of FIG. 4, “Shutdown (hang)” and “2018/11/14 20:12:” are associated with the ID “8” in the columns of status code, time stamp, and period. 45:230" and "15,074 ms". In the description of the status code column, “(hang)” corresponds to abnormality information indicating occurrence of hangup. “15,074 ms” indicates the elapsed time from the time when the progress information was last input to the time when the end of the operation was detected. This elapsed time is equal to or greater than the threshold of the predetermined elapsed time.

The repair setting unit 126 (FIG. 2) refers to the processing history accumulated in the progress information accumulating unit 122 and estimates the process in which the abnormality has occurred. The repair setting unit 126 determines whether an abnormality occurs in the POST process and restart of the POST process is repeated a predetermined number of times (for example, 3 to 5 times) or more, and a segment including a process in which the occurrence of the abnormality is estimated is common. , Set the execution of measures for that segment. However, in the following, for simplification of description, an example will be given in which measures are taken for a segment including a process in which the occurrence of an abnormality is estimated every time an abnormality occurs in the POST processing.

The restoration setting unit 126 can specify the driver associated with the status code indicated by the progress information immediately before the progress information including the description “Shutdown (hang)” at the end of the processing history as the driver immediately before the occurrence of the hangup. .. The repair setting unit 126 further refers to the system firmware and identifies the segment next to the segment to which the identified driver belongs as the segment related to the occurrence of the hangup. The repair setting unit 126 can narrow down the process instructed by any of the first driver to the last driver of the identified segment as an incomplete process.

The repair setting unit 126 refers to the category data stored in advance in the storage medium of the EC 31 and corresponds to the status code of any driver included in the estimated segment (for example, the first or last driver of the segment). Identify the category. The restoration setting unit 126 sets the setting information indicating the restoration processing in the form according to the identified category. When the identified category is related to the verification of the system firmware (for example, the consistency verification of the system firmware, the verification of the setting parameter, etc.), the repair setting unit 126 instructs the ICH 13b (FIG. 1) in the repair mode. Set the startup mode information indicating startup. This is because in such a case, some or all of the system firmware may be damaged. When the set startup mode information indicates the repair mode, the ICH 13b starts in the repair mode when the power supply is restarted. The ICH 13b repairs the system firmware code stored in the firmware ROM 25 in the repair mode. For example, the ICH 13b reads the system firmware stored in the NVRAM 27 in advance via the MCH 13a, and updates the system firmware code stored in the firmware ROM 25 with the read code.
After repairing the code of the system firmware, the ICH 13b updates the startup mode information set in itself to the startup mode information indicating the normal mode. When the startup mode information indicating the normal mode is set, the ICH 13b does not repair the system firmware. In the ICH 13b, start-up mode information indicating a normal mode is set as an initial setting. After that, the CPU 11 executes the POST processing according to the restored system firmware.

Therefore, when the POST processing is completed successfully, the POST processing unit 112 may store the code of the system firmware instructing the completed POST processing in the NVRAM 27 in advance. Alternatively, the NVRAM 27 may store in advance the system firmware code whose operation has been confirmed and the setting parameters.
The ICH 13b may perform one or both of consistency verification and error correction on the updated code using a known method before executing the POST process.

If the specified category relates to a specific device, the repair setting unit 126 causes the device to take measures. The repair setting unit 126 may set, for example, omission (skip) of a process related to the device in the POST processing from the next time onward. In that case, the repair setting unit 126 sets, in the firmware ROM 25, an execution necessity parameter indicating whether or not the process related to the device is executed, of the parameter set of the system firmware. The POST processing unit 112 refers to the execution necessity parameter and omits the process related to the device in the next POST processing.

The repair setting unit 126 sets repair target code information indicating a device-specific code indicating a process related to the device as a repair target in the firmware ROM 25 instead of or together with the setting of the execution necessity parameter. The POST processing unit 112 refers to the execution necessity parameter, and in the next POST processing, restores the device-specific code associated with the device, which is the code indicated by the repair target code information. In that case, the repair setting unit 126 reads the device-specific code indicating the process related to the device from the NVRAM 27, and reads the device-specific code indicating the process related to the device from the system firmware stored in the firmware ROM 25. Update to the device-specific code. The repair setting unit 126 may perform consistency verification and error correction on the updated code by using a known method.

Next, an example of the POST process according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the POST processing according to this embodiment.
(Step S102) When the CPU 11 detects the start of power supply from the power supply unit 35, it reads the system firmware from the firmware ROM 25. Then, the process proceeds to step S104.
(Step S104) The CPU 11 starts the execution of the read system firmware and starts the function (including the POST process) as the processing unit 110.
The progress information management unit 114 generates progress information indicating power-on and outputs it to the control unit 120. Then, the process proceeds to step S106.

(Step S106) The POST processing unit 112 executes the driver that constitutes the system firmware.
The progress information management unit 114 monitors the driver that has completed execution, and when the driver that has completed execution reaches a predetermined anchor point, outputs a status code indicating the driver to the control unit 120 as progress information. However, the progress information management unit 114 outputs progress information indicating power-on to the control unit 120 at the beginning of the POST process, that is, when the supply of power to the self unit is detected. After that, among the drivers forming the system firmware, the driver to be executed is advanced to the next driver, and the process proceeds to step S108.

(Step S108) The POST processing unit 112 determines whether or not the POST processing is completed. The POST processing unit 112 can determine that the POST processing is completed when the execution is completed for all the drivers constituting the system firmware. Then, the process proceeds to step S110. At the stage when the POST process is completed, the execution of the boot management code is also completed, the OS loader stored in advance in the HDD 21 is read out, and the state is stored in the system memory 15.
(Step S110) The CPU 11 executes the OS loader, reads the OS module, device driver, and the like from the HDD 21, and stores them in the system memory 15. Then, the CPU 11 executes OS boot. Then, the process shown in FIG. 5 is completed.

Next, an example of the abnormality detection processing according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the abnormality detection processing according to this embodiment.
The control unit 120 starts the process shown in FIG. 6 when power is not supplied from the power supply unit 35 to the main device or when activation control information is input from the power button 37.
(Step S122) The abnormality detection unit 124 determines whether or not an OS shutdown instruction has been issued. The abnormality detection unit 124 determines that the OS shutdown is instructed when the startup control information is input from the power button 37 during energization, and the shutdown is not instructed when the startup control information is not input, for example. Can be judged. When the abnormality detection unit 124 determines that the shutdown is instructed (YES in step S122), the progress information storage unit 122 stores the progress information indicating the shutdown and the time record indicating the time when the shutdown is detected in association with each other. Then, the process proceeds to step S128. When it is determined that the shutdown has not been instructed (NO in step S122), the process proceeds to step S124.

(Step S124) The progress information storage unit 122 waits for input of progress information from the processing unit 110. When the progress information is input to the progress information storage unit 122 (step S124 YES), the process proceeds to step S126. When no progress information is input to the progress information storage unit 122 (NO in step S124), the process returns to step S122.
(Step S126) The progress information storage section 122 stores the input progress information as time information indicating the time in association with the time record. When the input progress information is a status code, the progress information storage unit 122 refers to the category data to identify the category information corresponding to the status code, and further associates the identified category information with the progress information. accumulate. Then, the process proceeds to step S122.

(Step S128) The abnormality detection unit 124 determines whether the elapsed time from the time when the immediately preceding progress information is input to the time when the shutdown is determined is equal to or greater than a threshold of a predetermined elapsed time. When it determines with it being more than the threshold of a predetermined elapsed time (step S128 YES), it progresses to the process of step S130. When it is determined that the time is less than the threshold of the predetermined elapsed time (NO in step S128), the process of FIG. 6 ends.
(Step S130) The abnormality detection unit 124 determines that a hangup has occurred in the POST processing. Then, the process proceeds to step S132.
(Step S132) The abnormality detection unit 124 adds abnormality information indicating occurrence of hang-up to the progress information and stores it. Then, the process of FIG. 6 is completed.

Next, an example of the repair setting process according to this embodiment will be described.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the repair setting process according to this embodiment.
(Step S142) The repair setting unit 126 refers to the processing history accumulated in the progress information accumulating unit 122 and identifies the status code indicated by the progress information immediately before the progress information indicating the occurrence of the hangup. The repair setting unit 126 refers to the system firmware and estimates the segment next to the segment to which the driver indicated by the specified status code belongs as the segment related to the hangup. Then, the process proceeds to step S144.
(Step S144) The repair setting unit 126 refers to the category data stored in advance and determines the category corresponding to the status code of any driver of the estimated segment. Then, the process proceeds to step S146.

(Step S146) When the determined category is a category related to a specific device (step S146 YES), the repair setting section 126 proceeds to the process of step S148. When the determined category is not the category related to the specific device (NO in step S146), the repair setting unit 126 proceeds to the process of step S150.
(Step S148) The repair setting unit 126 causes the measures related to the device related to the determined category to be executed. For example, the repair setting unit 126 sets, in the firmware ROM 25, an execution necessity parameter indicating whether the process related to the device related to the determined category is executed. The repair setting unit 126 sets, in the firmware ROM 25, repair target code information indicating a device-specific code related to a device related to the determined category as a repair target. Then, the process shown in FIG. 7 is completed.
(Step S150) The repair setting unit 126 sets boot mode information indicating boot in the repair mode in the ICH 13b. Then, the process shown in FIG. 7 is completed.

In the above description, the abnormality detection unit 124 determines that the elapsed time from the time when the progress information was last input from the processing unit 110 to the time when the shutdown of the OS is detected is equal to or greater than the threshold of the predetermined elapsed time. In the above, the case of detecting a hangup is taken as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. When the POST process is not yet completed, the abnormality detection unit 124 determines that the time period in which no new progress information is input continues from the time when the progress information was last input, when the time is equal to or greater than a threshold of a predetermined elapsed time. In some cases, hangups may be detected. At this time, the abnormality detection unit 124 may output an activation control signal to the power supply unit 35 to stop the power supply unit 35 from supplying power to the main device. At this time, the OS is shut down. As described above, the abnormality detection unit 124 associates the progress information indicating the shutdown with the time record indicating the time when the shutdown is detected, and further adds the abnormality information indicating the occurrence of the hangup to the progress information to store the progress information storage unit. It is stored in 122.

Further, the abnormality detection unit 124 may be preset with a detection threshold for detecting an abnormality in the processing time for each segment of the system firmware. The detection threshold may be a value that is significantly larger than the normal processing time. As described above, the progress information storage unit 122 calculates the processing time of the segment related to the progress information based on the progress information input from the processing unit 110. The abnormality detection unit 124 determines whether or not the progress information storage unit 122 has calculated the processing time to be equal to or more than the set detection threshold, and when the calculated processing time is equal to or more than the detection threshold, the abnormality information indicating the delay of the process is displayed as the progress information. May be recorded in the progress information storage unit 122.
The repair setting unit 126 may identify the segment in which the abnormality information is added to the progress information, and refer to the above category data to identify the category corresponding to the status code of any driver of the estimated segment. .. The restoration setting unit 126 may set the restoration processing in a form according to the identified category as described above.

As described above, the information processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment includes the processing unit 110 that executes a process (for example, POST process) based on the system firmware, and the control unit 120 that controls the process. .. The processing unit outputs progress information indicating the progress status of the process to the control unit 120 during the process based on the system firmware, and the control unit 120 inputs the progress information before the completion of the process. The abnormality of the processing is detected based on.
With this configuration, the control unit 120 can detect an abnormality in the process based on the progress information indicating the progress of the process based on the system firmware.

Further, the control unit 120 determines the occurrence of an abnormality based on the elapsed time from the time when the progress information was last input to the time when the shutdown of the own device is instructed, and stores the abnormality information indicating the abnormality. Good.
With this configuration, it is possible to detect and record a hang-up as an abnormality in the processing of the system firmware.

In addition, the progress information is a status code indicating a process in which the execution is completed, and when the control unit 120 is instructed to stop the operation of its own device, the control unit 120 has completed the execution based on the last input progress information. Estimate incomplete processes, which are processes that do not exist. Further, the control unit 120 determines the type of incomplete process based on the category data indicating the category for each process included in the system firmware process.
According to this configuration, of the processes of the system farm, the incomplete process in which the abnormality has occurred is estimated, and the type of the estimated incomplete process is determined. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a clue for normally ending the processing of the system firmware according to the type of the incomplete process.

Also, when the incomplete process is a process related to verification of the system firmware, the control unit 120 sets restoration of the system firmware.
According to this configuration, by repairing the system firmware, the processing based on the repaired system firmware can be normally completed.

When the incomplete process is a process related to a device connected to the processing unit 110, the control unit 120 sets omission of the process related to the device.
According to this configuration, when the process based on the system firmware is executed next time, the process related to the device is omitted, so that the process can be completed more reliably.

When the incomplete process is a process related to a device connected to the processing unit 110, the control unit 120 sets repair of device-specific firmware related to the process related to the device.
With this configuration, when the process based on the system firmware is executed next time, the process related to the device is executed based on the repaired device-specific firmware, so that the process can be completed more reliably. ..

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and includes a design and the like within a range not departing from the gist of the present invention. The configurations described in the above embodiments can be arbitrarily combined.

10... Information processing device, 11... CPU, 13... Chip set, 13a... MCH, 13b... ICH, 15... System memory, 17... GPU, 19... Display, 21... HDD, 23... Communication module, 25... Firmware ROM, 27... NVRAM, 31... EC, 35... Power supply unit, 37... Power button, 39... Input device, 110... Processing unit, 112... POST processing unit, 114... Progress information management unit, 120... Control unit, 122... Progress information Storage unit, 124... Abnormality detection unit, 126... Repair setting unit

Claims (6)

A processing unit that executes processing based on system firmware before the operating system starts,
A control unit for controlling the processing,
The processing unit is
Outputting progress information indicating the progress status of the process to the control unit during execution of the process,
The control unit is
Before the completion of the process, the occurrence of abnormality is determined based on the elapsed time from the time when the progress information was last input to the time when the operation stop of the own device is instructed,
An information processing device that stores abnormality information indicating the abnormality when determining the abnormality . The progress information indicates the process of completion of execution,
The control unit is
When instructed to stop the operation of own device,
Based on the progress information entered at the end, estimate the incomplete process, which is the process that has not been completed,
Based on the category data indicating the category for each process included in the process,
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the type of the incomplete process is determined. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein when the incomplete process is a process related to verification of the system firmware, the control unit sets restoration of the system firmware. When said uncompleted process is a process related to equipment connected to the processing unit, wherein the control unit, the information processing apparatus according to claim 2 or claim 3 sets the omission of process relating to the device. When the a process related equipment uncompleted process is connected to the processing unit, wherein the control unit, any one of the preceding claims 2 to set the repair of equipment by firmware according to the process relating to the device The information processing device according to 1. A processing unit that executes processing based on system firmware before the operating system starts,
A method of an information processing apparatus comprising: a control unit that controls the processing,
A step in which the processing section outputs progress information indicating a progress status of the processing to the control section during execution of the processing;
The control unit determines the occurrence of abnormality based on the elapsed time from the time when the progress information was last input before the completion of the process to the time when the operation stop of the own device is instructed,
Storing the abnormality information indicating the abnormality when the abnormality is determined .

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