JPH09259000A - Computer system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate the change of an initial diagnosis program and to flexibly execute an initial diagnostic processing by permitting the initial diagnostic program in EPROM to processing-diagnose only a route for writing data from outside into NVRAM and executing initial diagnosis on the other part with an initial diagnostic routine written into NVRAM. SOLUTION: At the time of initial diagnosis, the initial diagnostic routine in EPROM 3 executes the initial diagnosis on the route necessary for writing data into NVRAM 4 from an external storage device 9 for CPU 1, a CPU peripheral control part 2, EPROM(rewrite possible read only memory), NVRAM (non-volatile random access memory) 4, an input/output control part 5, a memory control part 8 and a memory 10. Then, valid information in NVRAM 4 is checked. When it is valid, the initial diagnostic routine in NVRAM is executed. When it is invalid, the initial diagnostic routine is written from the external storage device 9 into NVRAM 4 and it is executed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a computer system, and more particularly to a computer system having a divided initial diagnosis program.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional computer system, there is, for example, "Microprogram execution control system disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 04-277849" shown in FIG.

The computer system shown in FIG. 5 is composed of input / output devices 11 and 12 and a data transfer control device 13, and is provided in a read only memory (hereinafter referred to as ROM) 15 of the data transfer control device 13. An initial diagnosis program and a common processing unit 24 are stored, and a return information area 25 is provided in a random access memory (hereinafter referred to as RAM) 16.

In this computer system, the processing area common to a plurality of command processing programs is integrated into one to reduce the program area and effectively use the memory.

Further, for example, "Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 04-1605".
No. 14, “Starting method of personal computer”, in the case of activating a simple AP, only basic hardware initialization and self-diagnosis necessary for activating only the simple AP are executed, and high speed and simple Some APs can be activated. In this computer system, basic input / output software for initialization and self-diagnosis is stored in the ROM, and simple AP is stored in the non-volatile RAM.

As described above, in the prior art, the entire initial diagnosis program is generally stored in the ROM.

There is also known a computer system in which an initial diagnostic program is divided and a part of it is stored in a normal RAM.

[0008]

In the conventional computer system using the ROM described above, the entire initial diagnostic program is stored in the ROM, so that the ROM can be rewritten when the initial diagnostic program needs to be changed.
ROM if M (hereinafter referred to as EPROM)
There is a problem that it requires replacement and poor maintainability.

The ROM is an electrical EPROM (hereinafter,
It is written as EEPROM. ), The entire initial diagnosis program is in the EEPROM, so if the contents of the initial diagnosis program are destroyed, the path for writing the initial diagnosis program in the EEPROM and the control unit cannot be diagnosed. There is a problem that the diagnostic program cannot be written safely and the system cannot be recovered.

Although not known at present, even in a computer system in which a non-volatile random access memory (hereinafter referred to as NVRAM) stores all the initial diagnosis programs, if the initial diagnosis programs are destroyed. As in the case of the EEPROM, there is a problem that the system cannot be recovered.

Further, in the case of a computer system in which the initial diagnosis program is divided and a part thereof is stored in the RAM, the initial diagnosis program must be newly stored in the RAM every time the power is turned on. However, there is a problem that the startup procedure becomes complicated.

Further, in a computer system having a plurality of sets of CPUs and memories for storing an initial diagnosis program, in order to match the initial diagnosis programs of the plurality of memories, a large number of memories are replaced, or ,
It is necessary to write the initial diagnostic program from the external storage device to the memories, which causes a problem of poor maintainability.

A first object of the present invention is to maintain the maintainability by easily changing the initial diagnostic program without replacing the EPROM and by recovering the initial diagnostic program for a short time in a short time. Is to improve.

A second object is to recover the destruction of the initial diagnostic program without complicating the startup procedure.

A third object is to facilitate the matching of the versions of the initial diagnosis programs of the plurality of memories in a computer system having a plurality of sets of CPUs and memories for storing the initial diagnosis programs. Is to improve maintainability.

[0016]

A first computer system of the present invention has a CPU, and an initial diagnostic program for the computer system can be separately stored in an EPROM and a non-volatile random access memory. It has a function of writing a unit in a nonvolatile random access memory from an external storage device.

A second computer system of the present invention is the first computer system, comprising: (a) the EPR.
A first initial diagnosis routine of the initial diagnosis program for diagnosing a path from the external storage device to the nonvolatile random access memory and a control unit related to the path; and a first initial diagnosis program of the initial diagnosis program. A data write routine to the nonvolatile random access memory for writing a second initial diagnostic routine having a portion not included in the diagnostic routine from the external storage device to the nonvolatile random access memory; A non-volatile random access memory check routine for checking validity information indicating the validity of the second initial diagnosis routine, and (b) the non-volatile random access memory includes the second initial diagnosis routine and the validity. Includes sex information.

A third computer system of the present invention is
A second computer system, comprising a plurality of sets of the CPU, the EPROM, and the nonvolatile random access memory, storing the same first initial diagnostic program in all the EPROMs, It has a function of storing the second initial diagnostic program in a random access memory and writing the second initial diagnostic program from one nonvolatile random access memory to another nonvolatile random access memory.

A fourth computer system of the present invention is
A third computer system, wherein: (a) each non-volatile random access memory includes final write time information indicating the latest time the second initial diagnostic routine was written; and (b) the EPROM. Each includes a comparison routine that compares the respective last write time information.

A fifth computer system of the present invention is
It has a CPU and can separately store the initial diagnosis program of the computer system in an EPROM and an electric EPROM, and has a function of writing a part of the initial diagnosis program in the electric EPROM from an external storage device.

A sixth computer system of the present invention is the fifth computer system, comprising: (a) the EPR.
A first initial diagnostic routine of the initial diagnostic program for the OM to diagnose a path from the external storage device to the electric EPROM and a control unit related to the path, and the first initial diagnostic routine of the initial diagnostic program. Of a second initial diagnostic routine for writing a second initial diagnostic routine having a portion not included in the electrical EPROM from the external storage device to the electrical EPROM, and a second initial diagnostic routine of the electrical EPROM. An electrical EPROM check routine for checking validity information indicating validity, and (b) the electrical EPROM includes the second initial diagnosis routine and the validity information.

A seventh computer system of the present invention is
A sixth computer system, comprising a plurality of sets of the CPU, the EPROM, and the electric EPROM, wherein the same first initial diagnostic program is stored in all the EPROMs, and the all electric EPROMs are stored. It has a function of storing the second initial diagnosis program and writing the second initial diagnosis program from one electric EPROM to another electric EPROM.

An eighth computer system of the present invention is
A seventh computer system, wherein: (a) each of the electrical EPROMs includes final write time information that indicates the latest time the second initial diagnostic routine was written; and (b) each of the EPROMs. It includes a comparison routine for comparing the respective final write time information.

[0024]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, a computer system of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1A is a block diagram of the computer system of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the computer system of the present invention includes a CPU 1, a CPU peripheral control unit 2, an EPROM.
3, NVRAM 4, input / output control units 5, 6, 7, memory control unit 8, external storage device 9, and memory 10.

FIG. 1B shows the EPROM 3 and N of FIG.
It is explanatory drawing which shows the content of the initial diagnosis program stored in VRAM4.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the flow of processing of the present invention.

Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 (a), 1 (b) and 2.

At the time of initial diagnosis, of the CPU 1, the CPU peripheral control unit 2, the EPROM 3, the NVRAM 4, the input / output control unit 5, the memory control unit 8 and the memory 10, the external storage device 9 is included.
Path required to write data from to NVRAM4,
Also, only the control unit that guarantees it is initially diagnosed by the initial diagnosis routine a1 stored in the EPROM 3 (S1 in FIG. 2).

After that, the NVRAM4 internal check routine b1 is executed to read and check the validity / invalidity information d1 of the initial diagnosis routine e1 written in the NVRAM4 (S2 and S3 in FIG. 2).

As a result of the check, if the result is valid, N
The initial diagnosis routine e1 in the VRAM 4 is read and executed (S5 in FIG. 2).

If the result of the check is that it is invalid, the external storage device 9 is connected and the external storage device 9 switches to NVRAM.
The initial diagnosis routine e1 is written in 4 (S4 in FIG. 2).
The writing operation is performed by the data writing routine c1 to the NVRAM in the EPROM 3.

After the initial diagnosis routine e1 is written in the NVRAM 4, this initial diagnosis routine e1 is executed (S5 in FIG. 2).

The initial diagnosis routine e1 includes an input / output control unit 6,
7 and the unprocessed diagnosis part in each of the other control units are initially diagnosed.

When changing the initial diagnosis program, invalid information is written in the valid / invalid information d1 of the initial diagnostic routine e1 in the NVRAM 4, and the NVRAM internal check routine b1 is executed. After that, the initial diagnosis routine e1 is written from the external storage device 9.

Next, a case where the present invention has a configuration having a plurality of sets of a CPU, a CPU peripheral control device section, an EPROM and an NVRAM (hereinafter, this configuration will be referred to as a multiprocessor configuration) will be described with reference to FIGS. Will be described with reference to.

Here, a case will be described in which the set is two sets.

FIG. 3A is a block diagram of the present invention having a multiprocessor configuration.

In FIG. 3A, CPU 41, CPU
Peripheral controller unit 42, EPROM 43, NVRAM 44
Are the CPU 1, the CPU peripheral control unit 2, and the EP, respectively.
It is the same as the ROM 3 and NVRAM 4. Although not shown, the input / output control unit and the memory control unit connected to the system bus have the same configuration as in FIG.

FIG. 3B shows EPROMs 3, 43 and N.
It is explanatory drawing which shows the content of the initial diagnosis program stored in VRAM4,44.

In this configuration, the EPROMs 3 and 43, the NVR
The same contents are stored in AM4 and AM44. Therefore, if the data in a certain NVRAM is destroyed,
Alternatively, when matching the version numbers of the data in the NVRAM (that is, the initial diagnosis program), another NVRA is used.
By copying the data from M, the initial diagnostic program can be written in NVRAM at high speed without writing from the external storage device.

In order to detect the NVRAM in which the data is destroyed, for example, there is a method of periodically performing checksum diagnosis on the data of each NVRAM.

NVR in which an error was detected by the checksum
It is possible to write data from the NVRAM in which no error is detected by the checksum in the AM and the validity / invalidity information of the initial diagnosis routine indicates validity.

Further, NVRA is stored in the EPROMs 3 and 43.
The final write time information g2 is added in the compare routine f2, NVRAM4, 48 for comparing M4 and NVRAM44. These are used when the version numbers of the initial diagnosis program are matched.

Next, the operation for matching the version numbers of the initial diagnosis program in the multiprocessor configuration of FIG. 3 will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the version number matching operation of the initial diagnosis program in the multiprocessor configuration of FIG.

The CPU 1 and the CPU 41 execute the initial diagnosis program a2 stored in the EPROM 3 and the EPROM 43, respectively (S11 in FIG. 4).

Next, the NVRAM internal check routine b
2 is executed (S12 in FIG. 4), the initial diagnosis routine e2
Valid / invalid information of S is checked (S13, S in FIG. 4)
14, S15).

If one of the NVRAMs 4 and 44 has the invalid initial diagnosis routine e2, the valid initial diagnosis routine e2 is transferred to the invalid NVRAM (S2 in FIG. 4).
0, S21).

Initial diagnosis routine e of NVRAM 4, 44
If both 2 are invalid, the initial diagnosis routine e2 is executed from the external storage device (same as the external storage device 9 in FIG. 1) to NVRAM.
4 and 44 (S16 in FIG. 4).

Initial diagnosis routine e of NVRAM 4, 44
If both 2 are valid, NVRAM4,44 NV
The final write time g2 in the RAM is compared by the compare routine f2 of the NVRAMs 4 and 8 (S1 in FIG. 4).
7). As a result of this comparison, if different (S1 in FIG.
8, S19), new NVRAM final write time g
The NVRAM final write time g2 of the NVRAM in which 2 is written is overwritten on the old NVRAM final write time g2 (S20 and S21 in FIG. 4).

Next, the initial diagnosis routine e2 in the NVRAM 4, 44 is executed (S22 in FIG. 4).

Further, instead of NVRAM, EEPRO
It is possible to adopt a configuration using M.

[0055]

As described above, the initial diagnosis program in the EPROM performs the process diagnosis only on the path for writing the data to the NVRAM from the outside, and the other parts are NV diagnosed.
By performing the initial diagnosis by the initial diagnosis routine written in the RAM, it is possible to easily change the initial diagnosis program and flexibly perform the initial diagnosis process.

When the initial diagnosis program in the NVRAM is destroyed, the processing diagnosis can be executed by mounting the external storage device and writing the initial diagnosis program in the NVRAM from there.

Further, since the contents of NVRAM are not destroyed even when the power is turned on again, the startup procedure is simple.

Further, in the multiprocessor configuration, by copying the initial diagnostic program in one NVRAM to another NVRAM, even if the initial diagnostic program in NVRAM is destroyed, high speed operation is possible without using an external storage device.
It can be easily recovered.

When a multiprocessor is configured, the NV
By comparing the final write time information of RAM and copying the initial diagnosis program in NVRAM containing the new version of the initial diagnosis program to another NVRAM, it is possible to perform initialization quickly and easily without using an external storage device. The version number of the diagnostic program can be matched.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1A is a block diagram of a computer system of the present invention. Figure (b) is the EPRO of Figure 1 (a)
It is explanatory drawing which shows the content of the initial diagnosis program stored in M3 and NVRAM4.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of the present invention.

FIG. 3A is a block diagram of the present invention having a multiprocessor configuration. Separator (b) is the EP of Fig. 3 (a)
It is explanatory drawing which shows the content of the initial diagnostic program stored in ROM3,43 and NVRAM4,44.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the multiprocessor configuration of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a conventional computer system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 41 CPU 2, 42 CPU peripheral control unit 3, 43 EPROM 4, 44 NVRAM 5, 6, 7 I / O control unit 8 Memory control unit 9 External storage device 10 Memory 11, 12 I / O device 13 Data transfer control device 14 MPU 15 ROM 16 RAM 24 Common processing unit 25 Return information area

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An initial diagnostic program for a computer system having a CPU can be divided and stored in an EPROM and a non-volatile random access memory, and a part of the initial diagnostic program is written in the non-volatile random access memory from an external storage device. And computer system. 2. (a) a first initial diagnostic routine of the initial diagnostic program, wherein the EPROM diagnoses a path from the external storage device to the nonvolatile random access memory and a control unit related to the path; Non-volatile random access memory data write routine for writing from the external storage device to the non-volatile random access memory a second initial diagnostic routine having a portion not included in the first initial diagnostic routine of the initial diagnostic program And a non-volatile random access memory check routine for checking validity information indicating the validity of the second initial diagnosis routine of the non-volatile random access memory, (b) the non-volatile random access memory, 2 including an initial diagnostic routine and the validity information, The computer system of claim 1 in which symptoms. 3. A plurality of sets of the CPU, the EPROM, and the non-volatile random access memory are provided, and the same first initial diagnosis program is stored in all the EPROMs, and all the non-volatile random access memories are stored in the all non-volatile random access memory. 3. The computer system according to claim 2, further comprising a function of storing the second initial diagnosis program and writing the second initial diagnosis program from one nonvolatile random access memory to another nonvolatile random access memory. . 4. (a) Each of said nonvolatile random access memories includes final write time information indicating the latest time when said second initial diagnostic routine was written, and (b).
4. The computer system of claim 3, wherein each of the EPROMs includes a compare routine that compares the respective last write time information. 5. A computer system characterized in that an initial diagnosis program of a computer system having a CPU can be separately stored in an EPROM and an electric EPROM, and a part of the initial diagnosis program is written in the electric EPROM from an external storage device. . 6. (a) A first of the initial diagnosis program in which the EPROM diagnoses a path from the external storage device to the electrical EPROM and a control unit related to the path.
And a second initial diagnostic routine having a portion not included in the first initial diagnostic routine of the initial diagnostic program from the external storage device.
A data write routine to the electrical EPROM for writing to the PROM; and the second electrical EPROM.
And an electric EPROM check routine for checking validity information indicating the validity of the initial diagnosis routine, and (b) the electric EPROM includes the second initial diagnosis routine and the validity information. The computer system according to claim 5, wherein: 7. A plurality of sets of the CPU, the EPROM, and the electrical EPROM are provided, the same first initial diagnostic program is stored in all the EPROMs, and the second initial diagnostic program is stored in the all electrical EPROMs. 7. The computer system according to claim 6, wherein the computer system has a function of storing an initial diagnosis program and writing the second initial diagnosis program from one electric EPROM to another electric EPROM. 8. (a) Each of said electrical EPROMs includes final write time information indicating the latest time at which said second initial diagnostic routine was written, and (b) said EPROMs.
8. The computer system of claim 7, wherein each comprises a comparison routine that compares the respective last write time information.