Patent ID: 6516410
Filing Date: 2003-02-04
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A system for execution of code during power-on-self test (POST), the system comprising:a mass storage device for storing computer programs; a microprocessor connected to the mass storage device, the microprocessor comprising: an execution unit; a general purpose register connected to the execution unit, the general purpose register for storing a first data element; an MMX unit including a plurality of MMX registers, the MMX unit connected to the general purpose register, wherein the plurality of MMX registers are configurable as a virtual stack; an instruction storage device connected to the microprocessor, the storage device for storing BIOS instructions; and a plurality of BIOS instructions stored in the storage device, the plurality of BIOS instructions readable by the microprocessor to thereby cause the microprocessor to: execute a virtual stack push instruction wherein the first data element is moved from the general purpose register to a first of the plurality of MMX registers; and execute a virtual stack pop instruction wherein the first data element previously moved from the general purpose register to the first of the plurality of MMX registers is moved from the first of the plurality of MMX registers to the general purpose register; wherein the virtual stack push instruction and the virtual stack pop instruction are executable prior to initialization of a main memory.