TWI396972B - Method for preventing data loss of a bios chip - Google Patents

Description

Method for preventing BIOS chip data loss

The invention relates to a method for preventing loss of wafer data, in particular to a method for preventing data loss of a BIOS chip.

The BIOS chip is an important chip on the motherboard, because the BIOS contains a set of routines that perform input and output operations between the system and peripherals. The BIOS also includes diagnostics and utilities. For example, each time you start your computer, you must call the BIOS self-test to check the main components of the computer to make sure they are working properly.

A BIOS chip as shown in FIG. 1 includes a first boot block 1, a post code area 2, an ESCD (Extended System Configuration Data) data area 3, and A second boot block 4, the ESCD data area 3 stores a SKU (Stock Keeping unit), a Serial Number, and a UUID (Universal Unique Identifier) of the computer hardware. (etc) and other ESCD information. After the computer is powered on, immediately read the instruction code from the BIOS chip to detect the system hardware, and then read the configuration information of the system resource data required for the normal working of the hardware from each hardware, and then all the information. The hardware configuration information is written into the ECSD data area 3 of the BIOS chip. During the process of writing data, the new data will overwrite the original data in the ESCD data area 3. The ESCD data is usually stored in the system management BIOS. (SMBIOS) (see Figure 2).

In the process of writing data, the extended system configuration data in the BIOS chip may be accidentally broken. Loss of random events such as plugging and unplugging of external and external cards, resulting in serious consequences such as the failure of the computer to start and operate normally.

In view of the above, it is necessary to provide a method for preventing data loss of the BIOS chip.

A method for preventing data loss of a BIOS chip for preventing a BIOS chip including a data area and a boot area from expanding system configuration data loss in the process of writing data, comprising the steps of: pre-storing the extended system configuration data storage in the boot In the area; reading all the hardware information of the computer; determining whether all the hardware information is already present in the data area of the BIOS chip; if there is hardware information not yet stored in the data area of the BIOS chip, determining the data area Whether the information in the data area is not destroyed; the hardware information not stored in the data area of the BIOS chip is written into the data area of the BIOS chip; and if the data area If the data in the area has been destroyed, the extended system configuration data stored in the boot area is written into the data area to restore the extended system configuration data in the data area.

The method for preventing BIOS chip data loss utilizes the backup expansion system configuration data, and when the extended system configuration data of the data area is detected to be destroyed, the backup data is stored in the data area in time to prevent the BIOS chip data from being lost. In addition, before the step of writing data, a judging step is included, so that only hardware information not stored in the data area of the BIOS chip is written into the BIOS chip, and all the hardware information is not required to be conventionally used. Write, which reduces the data written, reduces the probability of data corruption, the method is simple and effective, enhances the data security of the BIOS chip, and does not need to do any hardware modification.

1‧‧‧First boot block

2‧‧‧Post Code area

3‧‧‧Information area

4‧‧‧Second boot block

41‧‧‧Backup area

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a conventional BIOS chip.

2 is a flow chart of a method for detecting hardware and writing hardware information by a conventional BIOS.

3 is a schematic structural view of a BIOS chip according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a flow chart of a method for preventing data loss of a BIOS chip according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, a BIOS chip of the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a first boot block 1, a self-test code (Post Code) area 2, an ESCD data area 3, and a second boot block (Boot Block). 4, the ESCD data area 3 stores extended system configuration data (ie, ESCD data), the extended system configuration data is information used by the system BIOS to exchange hardware configuration information with the operating system, and the extended system configuration data includes an inventory unit ( Extended System Configuration (ESCD) data such as SKU), Serial Number, and Globally Unique Identifier (UUID). The storage capacities of the first boot block 1, the ESCD data area 3, and the second boot block 4 are all 64 kilobits (64 Kb), and the second boot block 4 includes a 1 kilobit (1 Kb) backup area 41. The data of the first boot block 1 and the second boot block 4 are not lost due to accidental power failure, and the extended system configuration data of the ESCD data area 3 may be lost due to unexpected power failure (especially when the data is written off) Information may be lost). The backup area 41 is used to store the extended system configuration data such as the SKU, the Serial Number, and the global unique identifier (UUID).

Referring to FIG. 4, a method for preventing data loss of a BIOS chip of a computer according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes the following steps:

S01: The extended system configuration data such as the SKU, the Serial Number, and the UUID is stored in the backup area 41 in advance.

S02: Press the computer power switch, the power will immediately supply power to the motherboard and other devices when the power switch is pressed. At this time, the voltage is still unstable, and the motherboard control chipset will send a reset to the CPU (Reset). ) Signal to let the CPU initialize. When the power supply starts to supply power stably, the control chipset removes the Reset signal, and the CPU immediately begins to execute one of the BIOS stores at FFFF0H. Jump instruction, jump to the boot code of the system BIOS, the system BIOS startup code first performs the power-on self-test (POST), the main task of POST is to detect the presence of some key devices (such as memory and display card) in the system. Can work properly.

S03: The BIOS detects the hardware of the computer. During the BIOS power-on self-test, the computer display will show a list of system configurations that outline the various standard hardware devices installed in the system, along with the resources they use and some related operating parameters.

S04: Read the information of the detected hardware.

S05: determining whether the hardware information is already present in the ESCD data area 3 of the BIOS chip. Generally speaking, if there is no hardware change, all the hardware information is stored in the ESCD data area 3 of the BIOS chip by default, but If there is a hardware change (such as after plugging in a hot-swappable device), new hardware information will be read. The method of judging is to compare the read computer hardware information with the data stored in the ESCD data area 3 of the BIOS chip. If they are completely consistent, it means that there is no new hardware information, no need to write data; if there is no hardware information stored in the ESCD data area 3 of the BIOS chip (that is, new hardware information is found), it means that it needs to be new hard. The body information is written into the ESCD data area 3.

S06: If all the hardware information read is already stored in the BIOS chip (ie, there is no new hardware information), the content of the ESCD data area 3 of the BIOS chip is read and stored in the SMBIOS to update the contents of the SMBIOS.

S07: If it is found that there is new hardware information not yet stored in the BIOS chip, it is determined whether the extended system configuration data in the ESCD data area 3 is destroyed. The specific step of the judgment is to check whether the inventory unit data is still present in the ESCD data area 3; check whether the serial number data is still present in the ESCD data area 3; and check whether the global unique identifier still exists in the ESCD data area 3 If it exists, it means that the extended system configuration data is not destroyed; if it does not exist, it means that the extended system configuration data is destroyed.

S08: If the extended system configuration data in the ESCD data area 3 is not damaged, the new hardware information is written into the ESCD data area 3 of the BIOS chip, and after the new hardware information is written, step S06 is performed to read the Update the SMBIOS with the contents of ESCD data area 3.

S09: If the extended system configuration data in the ESCD data area 3 is destroyed, the backup data of the backup area 41 is written into the ESCD data area 3. After the data in the ESCD data area 3 is restored, step S08 is performed. New hardware information is written into the ESCD data area 3 of the BIOS chip.

In summary, the present invention has indeed met the requirements of the invention patent, and has filed a patent application according to law. However, the above description is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and equivalent modifications or variations made by those skilled in the art of the present invention should be included in the following claims.

Claims (9)

A method for preventing data loss of a BIOS chip for preventing a BIOS chip including a data area and a boot area from losing data of an extended system in the data area during data writing, comprising the following steps: a. pre-expanding the system The configuration data storage is backed up in the boot area; b. reading all the hardware information of the computer; c. comparing the read hardware information with the extended system configuration data in the data area of the BIOS chip to determine whether all the hardware information is All exist in the data area of the BIOS chip: d. If there is hardware information that has not been stored in the data area of the BIOS chip, it is judged whether the data in the data area is destroyed; e. If the data area is If the data is not destroyed, the hardware information not stored in the data area of the BIOS chip is written into the data area of the BIOS chip; and f. if the data in the data area has been destroyed, the data will be stored. The extended system configuration data in the boot area is written into the data area to restore the extended system configuration data in the data area, and the extended system configuration data of the data area is restored and then returns to step e. The method for preventing data loss of a BIOS chip according to the first aspect of the patent application, wherein the step c is: determining whether the read computer hardware information exists in the extended system configuration data stored in the data area; If there is hardware information read, it means that hardware information is already present in the BIOS chip. The method for preventing BIOS chip data loss according to claim 1, wherein the extended system configuration data comprises: an inventory unit, a serial number, and a globally unique identifier. The method for preventing loss of BIOS chip data according to item 2 of the patent application scope, wherein the step d includes: checking whether the inventory unit data is still present in the data area; checking the serial number data is No. Also exists in the data area; and check whether the global unique identifier still exists in the data area; if it exists, it indicates that the extended system configuration data is not destroyed; if it does not exist, it indicates that the extended system configuration data has been destroyed. The method for preventing loss of BIOS chip data according to claim 1 of the patent application, the method further comprising: if all the hardware information is already present in the data area of the BIOS chip, reading the data of the data area, and The steps to store in the system management BIOS to update the contents of the system management BIOS. The method for preventing data loss of a BIOS chip according to the first aspect of the patent application, the method further comprising: after the step e, reading the data of the data area, and storing the data in the system management BIOS to update the content of the system management BIOS. The steps. The method for preventing the loss of BIOS chip data according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: after step f, writing hardware information not stored in the data area of the BIOS chip to the BIOS chip. The data area; and the steps of reading the data of the data area and storing it in the system management BIOS to update the contents of the system management BIOS. The method for preventing data loss of a BIOS chip according to the first aspect of the patent application, wherein the step a refers to backing up the extended system configuration data in a backup area of the boot area. The method for preventing loss of BIOS chip data according to claim 1, wherein the boot area includes a backup area, and the extended system configuration data is backed up in a backup area of the boot area, the data area and the boot area. The storage capacity is equal, and the storage capacity of the backup area is one-sixteenth of the storage capacity of the boot area.