TW575805B - Tracking and debugging method of BIOS - Google Patents

Description

575805

[Application Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a BIOS designed for debugging a BIOS test operation of hardware or causes for errors in the POST (Power On Self test). [Background of the Invention] Tracing and debugging methods, It is a special Test) stage, to find out the correct method, that is, the method before the BIOS leaves the factory. POSKPower On Self Test is part of the basic input / output system (Baslc lnput Output System, referred to as BI0S). When the computer power is turned on, it will first execute the p〇ST program to test or initialize the hardware. The operating system will not load until the hardware devices are normal. The POST program is composed of a series of sub-routines. Each sub-routine can contain several hardware testing or initialization actions; each sub-routme is executed sequentially in the POST stage. At the same time, the code of the sub-routine will be output to the Debug port of a specific I / O address. When the POST test stops due to an error in the execution of an action, you can read Debug ρ 〇Γΐ; to know which subroutine caused the error. Even if the technicians know that during the POST test, the error occurred in that sub-routine, but they still can't correctly judge that the X hardware happened early, because it may be busy in a sub-routine The classification of 4 inch 疋 or a specific step design 'test and initialize multiple hardware devices, so even if you know that the error occurred in this sub-rout ine, you still ca n’t determine which hardware error caused it. .

575805 V. Description of the invention (2) For example, in the prior art, in a computer system of POST 01 sub-r0u 11 ne, the following four steps need to be performed: 1. Out debug port with POST function number II 01h 2 call POST_01h sub-routine: • Setup HDD controller • Reset HD drivers • Update CPU micro-code • Config and enable L2 cache [POST program example 1] Before the sub-routlne of the above P 0 ST program starts, it will Output a value of 〇1 h 'If the system is in this gub-routine, you cannot know whether there is a problem with the HDD controller or a problem with the enabie cache. Therefore, the technician must spend time performing detailed testing on each piece of hardware in the subroutine, which is a real waste of time and labor. [Objective and Summary of the Invention] The main purpose of this month is to provide a debugging method designed for the BIOS in the P0ST (Power On Self Test) stage to correctly find the hardware or cause of the test error. Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a debugging method that can correctly find the cause of an error without affecting the execution efficiency of B I 0S in use. This month's side is mainly in the test or initialization of more than / more than the hardware, is a 1 ° step verbose sub-r〇u 11 ne in the appropriate place, insert a wrong "Wu output Bailing", Ill to test or initialize on any hardware »· ι ill

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But after adding the aforementioned "error output instruction", the space of p0s process in BI 0S is bound to exceed its original designed size, and this Debug function applied to BIOS is old for consumers. It is not necessary, and the POST program that is too long and too large will also affect the execution efficiency of BIOS. Therefore, in the main step of the present invention, the step of enabling the aforementioned "error output instruction" function is used to determine BI 〇 The version of s, that is, through the addition of this step, will determine whether Bi0s containing the p〇ST program is the "beta version β〗 〇s" for technicians to debug and test before leaving the factory, or it is officially shipped for consumption. In order to realize this function, the present invention adds a "conditional judgment formula" before each "error rotation instruction", and only when this "conditional judgment formula" is true, In the P 0 ST test job of BI 0 S, compile the "r error output instruction added by the present invention" to make it execute normally for testing or initialization on any hardware in the sub-rout ine After the step, output a specific value to the Debug port. Taking the aforementioned "P 0 ST program example one" as an example, if implemented according to the method of the present invention, the sub-r 〇utine of P 0ST 0 1 will be rewritten as follows: 1. 0ut debug port with POST function number 20 ih 2. call POST_01h sub —routine: • Setup HDD controller • if #debug enab 1 e < ——conditional judgment inserted out debug port with Elh < ——error output instruction inserted = • Reset HD drivers

575805

• if #debug enable &lt; — an inserted "condition judgment gas error round out debug port with E2h &lt; ~~ insert out instruction" • Update CPU micro-code • if #debug enable &lt; — out debug port with E3h “Command” • Con fig and enable L2 cache • if #debug enable &lt; — out debug port with E4h Command ”[POST Program Example 2] In the above POST Program Example 2" Elh "" E 3 h "And" E 4 h "are the specific values of each" error output instruction, debug port, of course, this specific value is not limited to the value in 2 ^ sub. "The inserted" conditional error- " Inserted "Bar I Titanium Judgment Formulas" <1 ~ Inserted "" ° Error Wheel ~ E2h "Turning out to the example According to the technical means disclosed in the present invention, the" Condition Judgment Formula "before the" Error Output Command "can be Determine whether this conditional judgment is valid by reading the value of a specific variable specified by the programmer. It can also refer to a judgment that is considered invalid except for a specific value. In the second example of the above P 0 s T program, 丨 丨 e b u g 丨 is a number and a number, and the data format of this variable can be defined as a recursive instruction (fai 1 or true). Therefore, technical staff can

575805

V. Explanation of the invention (6) The method of the value makes this condition judgment formula true, thereby making BlOS decide whether to add the "^ error rotation out instruction" code added by the present invention to the POST program before performing the post test operation. in. Once the condition of the "conditional judgment formula" is satisfied, the "error output instruction" added by the present invention will be compiled into the P0ST program, that is, the "error output instruction" will be enabled (enab 1 e), It is used to output a specific value to the Debug port after the test or initialization step in any of the hardware in sub ~ routine. Of course, in order to improve the efficiency of BI0s's debugging test before leaving the factory, technicians can first perform a POST test on Bi0s under the condition that the "false output instruction" is disabled according to the general test method. When a fault or error is found in a certain BI 0S, the "error output command" is enabled again by issuing a command (enab 1 e) (At this time, BI 0 S will become the so-called "beta version b I 〇 $" ) To further track down the hardware or cause of the BI 0S error. Once BI 〇s passes the POST test and leaves the factory, in order not to affect the execution efficiency of the BIOS when it is used by users in the future, technicians will also be able to disable the "error output command" by issuing a command (disab 1 e) (this At this time, b I 0s will become the so-called "official version BI 0 S"). Therefore, when the general consumer uses biqs, the "error output instruction" added to the P 0 ST program of the present invention will not be compiled Add POST program without affecting BIOS execution efficiency. Finally, please refer to "Fig. 1" for the complete operation flow of the POST program designed according to the technology of the present invention. First, the technician sets the value of the enabling variable (step 10) to determine the test at P 0 ST Is it necessary to output a specific value I after any hardware test or initialization step: Μ 1 «

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Page 10 575805 V. Description of the invention (7) Go to Debug port. Then, the first sub-routine in the POST program is sequentially executed (step 11) 'until all sub-routines are executed, and the P 0 S T test is ended (step 16). In each sub-routine, each hardware test or initialization step will be executed in sequence (step 12), and then when the enable variable is set to "enable" (step 1 3), output A certain value to the Debug port (step 14), otherwise when the enabling variable is set to π not enabled "(step 13), the loop continues until all the hardware in the current sub-routine is tested or After the initialization step is completed (step 15), then enter the loop formed by (step 11) and (step 16) until all sub-routines have been executed, and the post test is ended. [Achieved effect ] 1 · You can correctly find the hardware or cause of the test error. 2 · Save time and labor. Assuming that a BIOS test uses this method, it can save 30 minutes of repair time on average. The film can save a considerable amount of man-hours in total. 3. Does not affect the execution efficiency of the official version of BIOS. Because when compiling the P ^ ST code of the BIOS, you can compile the BIOS for testing by issuing appropriate instructions. Used "Beta B "IOS" or "Official Version ϋ ^" for official shipments, both provide different uses, will not affect each other, and are more unsuitable: to the implementation efficiency of the official version B I 0S. It is said that the fans are only the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and are not intended to be used ^ = the scope of implementation; all patents, cultures, and modifications according to the scope of the present invention are patents of the invention Covered.

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Claims (1)

575805 6. Application Patent Scope 1. A BIOS tracking and debugging method used to correctly find the hardware or cause of the testing error during BI0's "" "㈣" On Sel f Test) phase , Which includes the step of inserting an "error output instruction", which is added to an "error output instruction" after any hardware test or initialization step in the sub-rout ine of the POST program, which is used to perform After the hardware test or initialization step, output a certain value to Debugp 〇rt; and the step-by-step order to enable the "error output instruction" to enable (enab 1 e), add a step before the "error output instruction" Condition judgment is used to enable (e nab 1 e) when the condition is satisfied. The "error output means' used to output a specific value to the Debug port. 2. As described in the first patent application scope, the BIOS debug method, Whether the condition judgment formula is established or not is determined by setting a value of a specific variable and judging the value of the specific variable. 3. According to the second item of the patent application scope, a method for tracking and debugging the BIOS is described. It includes a step of setting the specific variable value. 4 · As in the first scope of the patent application, the BI 0S tracking and debugging method, where the "error rotation instruction is compiled and added to the p 〇ST program.