Patent ID: 6691195
Filing Date: 2004-02-10
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
An apparatus that facilitates the performance of diagnostics on data processing system components, said apparatus comprising:a connector for a motherboard for a data processing system; a first terminal within said connector in communication with a first line in said motherboard for serial port interrupts; a second terminal within said connector in communication with a second line in said motherboard for system data; wherein said first and second lines comprise lines of an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus; a third terminal within said connector in communication with a third line in said motherboard for keyboard interrupts; a fourth terminal, within said connector, in communication with a fourth line in said motherboard for real-time-clock interrupts, such that said motherboard may receive said realtime-clock interrupts via said connector, a startup program of said data processing system may boot to an operating system that requires real-time-clock data to operate, and said operating system may be utilized to test said motherboard; wherein said first, second, third, and fourth terminals comprise respective first, second, third and fourth pads, such that a testing device may be placed into contact with said first, second, third, and fourth pads and utilized to perform diagnostics on said motherboard, irrespective of other keyboard interfaces of said motherboard; and wherein said connector resides on a surface of said motherboard and occupies less than one-half of one square inch of said surface.