JPH11194934A - Information processing method and apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] Although a checksum error does not occur even when a memory storing a predetermined program is accessed, even if the program does not execute normally, the program can be corrected to a normal program. An information processing method and an apparatus therefor are provided. SOLUTION: If the status flag is not set,
S5 to access the program code with the checksum stored in the rewritable memory. As a result, if a checksum error is not detected, a status flag is set S6. Next, S is executed to execute a process according to the program code with the checksum stored in the rewritable memory.
7. Then, the state flag is reset (S8). If the process is not executed and the status flag is set, the program code with the checksum stored in the rewritable memory is rewritten to a normal program code with the checksum S1 to S3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing method and apparatus, and more particularly to an information processing method and apparatus capable of restoring a normal code even if an incorrect code is stored in a BIOS ROM.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in order to reduce the size and weight of a personal computer, a conventional BIOS-ejectable EPROM is used.
What has been provided by the M is now provided by a rewritable flash ROM that does not need to be replaced. Conventionally, when an information processing apparatus detects a checksum error of a BIOS flash ROM, a BIOS flash ROM
Judging that the contents of the OM are broken, the BI written on the externally supplied memory medium (floppy disk, etc.)
The data in the OSROM is automatically written in the BIOS flash ROM.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION However, BIO
There is a problem that if the checksum is correct in the S flash ROM, but a program that does not operate properly until booting the OS is erroneously written, the BIOS flash ROM cannot be rewritten again. .

When the OS is booted, an application program can be operated.
M rewrite utility becomes operable, BIOS
It is possible to rewrite the flash ROM. However, when the OS cannot be booted, the program cannot be run.

If a checksum error is not detected, there is a problem that even if the contents are actually broken, it cannot be determined that the ROM is broken. The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional example, and a checksum error does not occur even when a memory storing a predetermined program is accessed. However, even if the program does not execute normally, the program is executed. It is an object of the present invention to provide an information processing method and a device which can be modified into a normal program.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, an information processing method and apparatus according to the present invention have the following arrangement. That is, the information processing method executed by the information processing apparatus having the CPU converts the program code with the checksum stored in the rewritable storage unit into the normal program code with the checksum if the status flag is set. A rewriting step for rewriting, an access step for accessing a program code with a checksum stored in the rewritable storage means if the status flag is not set, and a checksum error detected as a result of the access in the access step A status flag setting step of setting a status flag if not performed, a program execution step of causing the CPU to execute a process according to a program code with a checksum stored in the rewritable storage means, and a status flag of resetting the status flag Reset step

Another invention is a rewriting means for rewriting a program code with a checksum stored in a rewritable storage means to a normal program code with a checksum if a status flag is set, If is not set, an access means for accessing a program code with a checksum stored in the rewritable storage means, and a status flag is set if a checksum error is not detected as a result of the access by the access means. Status flag setting means for performing
A program execution unit that causes a predetermined CPU to execute a process according to the program code with the checksum stored in the rewritable storage unit;

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the information processing method according to the present embodiment, when a checksum error is not detected from the BIOS ROM and the OS cannot be booted, this state data is stored in the memory. And at the next startup
Access the memory and check its status data. As a result, if it indicates that the above-mentioned error condition has occurred, the data of the BIOSROM written on the memory medium (FD or the like) supplied from the outside is written in the BIOS flash ROM.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an information processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes a floppy drive that drives a floppy disk 8 that stores data in the BIOS ROM, the OS, and various application programs. 2 is a floppy drive 1
Is a floppy drive control unit for controlling the

Reference numeral 3 denotes a RAM on which an OS and various applications are loaded and executed. 4 is RAM
And a CPU that executes programs stored in the BIOS flash ROM 6 and controls the floppy drive 2 and the state memory 5.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a state memory for storing that a state has occurred when a checksum error is not detected and the OS is not booted. State memory 5
Are backed up by the backup power supply 7, so that the contents of the state memory 5 are retained even when the main power supply is turned off. Reference numeral 6 denotes a BIOS flash ROM in which a BIOS program is stored.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the processing operation of the CPU 4. The processing program corresponding to this flowchart is stored in advance in the BIOS flash ROM or in the floppy disk 8, and is accessed and executed by the CPU 4. Hereinafter, the processing operation of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

In step S1, it is checked whether the state memory 5 has been set. If it is set, the process proceeds to step S2. If not set, the process proceeds to step S5. The state memory 5
As described above, this flag is set when the checksum error is not detected and the OS is not booted.

In step S2, the floppy drive 1
Check if there is BIOS data on the floppy disk inserted in. If there is, the process proceeds to step S3 to execute rewriting of the BIOS flash ROM. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S4. Conversely, step S2
If it is determined in step S4 that there is no BIOS data, step S4
Branch to

In step S4, the process waits until the power is turned off. Then, when the switch is turned off, the process ends. On the other hand, returning to the description of the process in step S1, if it is determined that the state memory 5 is not set, the process proceeds to step S5 to access the BIOS flash ROM and check whether there is a checksum error. Do. If there is a checksum error, the process proceeds to step S2, where the BIOS flash ROM is rewritten in step S3. Conversely, if there is no checksum error, the process proceeds to step S6, where the state memory 5 is set.

In step S7, various initialization processes of the BIOS are executed, and the flow advances to step S8. In step S8, the state memory 5 is cleared. In step S9, O
The boot process of S is performed. In step S10, control is passed to the OS, and this processing ends.

If there is a problem in the program for performing the initialization processing in step S7 and a deadlock occurs, the corresponding bit in the state memory 5 is set to 1 It has become. Therefore, in the next process after power-on, since the state memory 5 is set in step S1, the process proceeds to step S2, where the BIOS flash ROM can be rewritten, and a correct program can be corrected.

[Second Embodiment] In the second embodiment, a state memory is not required. Accordingly, the processing configuration of the present embodiment is obtained by removing the state memory 5 from FIG. BIOS flash ROM instead of state memory
Is used for a check byte and is normally set to 00h (“00” in hexadecimal). And if there is no checksum error and the OS does not boot,
ffh (hexadecimal “ff”) is set.

Referring to FIG. 3, the operation will be described focusing on the differences from the first embodiment. Step S
In step 11, the BIOS flash ROM is accessed to check whether there is a checksum error.
If there is, the process proceeds to step S12 and step S1
3, the same as in the first embodiment, the BIOS flash R
OM is rewritten.

Conversely, if there is no checksum error,
Proceeding to step S15, ffh is set in the check byte of the BIOS flash ROM. Next, step S
At 16, an initialization process is performed. In step S17,
Clear the check byte in the BIOS flash ROM.

After step S18, the OS boot process is performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment. If the checksum error does not occur and the process proceeds to step S16, and the OS is not bootable due to deadlock at the initialization process, the check byte of the flash ROM of the BIOS is ffh. At the next startup, a checksum error occurs and the BIOS flash R
OM is rewritten. That is, at 00h, the checksum becomes normal, and at ffh, a checksum error occurs.

The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of a single device. Further, an object of the present invention is to provide a storage medium storing a program code of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or an apparatus,
Computer (or CP) of the system or device
U and MPU) can read and execute the program code stored in the storage medium. In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium implements the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

Examples of the storage medium for supplying the program code include a floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, and CD.
-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used. When the computer executes the readout program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an OS (operating system) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that a case where some or all of the actual processing is performed and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing is also included.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, based on the instructions of the program code, It goes without saying that the CPU included in the function expansion board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

When the present invention is applied to the storage medium, the storage medium stores program codes corresponding to the above-described flowcharts. Each module shown will be stored in a storage medium. That is, at least one of the "first processing module" which is a program module corresponding to the flowchart of FIG. 2 and the "second processing module" which is a program module corresponding to the flowchart of FIG. May be stored.

In the above description, the BIOS program including the process of booting the OS has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a predetermined program stored in a rewritable memory, such as an application program, may be used. No checksum error occurs when accessed, but even if the program does not run properly, the program can be corrected to normal code.

As described above, the checksum error does not occur in the BIOS flash ROM, and
Even if an erroneous program is written so as not to go to the boot of S, a normal program can be written to the BIOS flash ROM.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention, a checksum error does not occur even when a memory storing a predetermined program is accessed, but even if the program does not execute normally, Can be modified to a normal program.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an information processing apparatus according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a processing flowchart of the information processing apparatus according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a processing flowchart of the information processing apparatus according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example in which processing program modules corresponding to the flowcharts of FIGS. 2 and 3 are laid out on a predetermined recording medium.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Floppy drive 2 Floppy drive control part 3 RAM 4 CPU 5 State memory 6 BIOS flash ROM

Claims (16)

[Claims] 1. An information processing method executed by an information processing apparatus having a CPU, wherein, if a status flag is set, a program code with a checksum stored in a rewritable storage means is normally checked. A rewriting step of rewriting the program code with the sum, if the status flag is not set, an access step of accessing the program code with the checksum stored in the rewritable storage means; A status flag setting step of setting a status flag if a checksum error is not detected; a program execution step of causing the CPU to execute a process according to a program code with a checksum stored in the rewritable storage means; Reset status flag The information processing method characterized by comprising the step. 2. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the status flag is assigned to a rewritable nonvolatile memory. 3. The memory according to claim 1, wherein the status flag is assigned to a rewritable memory, and stable power is always supplied to the memory.
An information processing method according to claim 1. 4. As a result of the access in the access step,
2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a second rewriting step of rewriting the checksum-added program code stored in the rewritable storage means to a normal checksum-added program code when a checksum error is detected. The information processing method described. 5. The information processing according to claim 4, further comprising a power supply stop waiting step of waiting for a power supply stop of the information processing apparatus having the CPU after the processing in the second rewriting step. Method. 6. The information processing method according to claim 1, further comprising a driving step of driving another processing step after the processing in the state flag resetting step. 7. The information processing method according to claim 6, wherein said another processing step is an operating system. 8. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the program code with checksum stored in the rewritable storage means is a BIOS program code. 9. If the status flag is set, the rewriting means for rewriting the program code with a checksum stored in the rewritable storage means into a normal program code with a checksum, and the status flag must be set. An access unit for accessing a program code with a checksum stored in the rewritable storage unit, and a status flag setting unit for setting a status flag if a checksum error is not detected as a result of the access by the access unit. Information, comprising: a program execution unit for causing a predetermined CPU to execute a process according to a program code with a checksum stored in the rewritable storage unit; and a status flag reset unit for resetting the status flag. Processing equipment. 10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the status flag is assigned to a rewritable nonvolatile memory. 11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said status flag is assigned to a rewritable memory, and stable power is always supplied to said memory. 12. If a checksum error is detected as a result of the access by said access means, a second program code with a checksum stored in said rewritable storage means is rewritten to a normal program code with a checksum. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a rewriting unit. 13. After the processing by the second rewriting means,
13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a power supply stop waiting unit that waits for a power supply stop of the information processing apparatus. 14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a driving unit that drives another processing unit after the processing by the state flag reset unit. 15. The information processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said another processing means is an operating system. 16. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the program code with the checksum stored in the rewritable storage means is a BIOS program code.