Patent ID: 8621144
Filing Date: 2013-12-31
Classification: G06F,Y02D

Abstract:
1. A computer system, comprising: a processor; a disk drive coupled to the processor; and a non-volatile (NV) memory coupled to the disk drive to operate as a cache memory for the disk drive during runtime operations and to operate as a storage for hiberfile data during a low power state, the low power state being relative to a higher power state of the runtime operations, the NV memory to be used to provide access to relatively frequently-used data on the disk drive when the disk drive has been spun down during the runtime operations; wherein a reserve space in the NV memory during runtime operations is to be used as storage for the hiberfile data, the reserve space being erased blocks that are available to be used during the runtime operations to store the hiberfile data, the NV memory to use a write-through cache policy that results in all of the hiberfile data that is cached in the NV memory also being stored in the disk drive during the low power state; also wherein, in determining the hiberfile data that is to be saved, unpopulated pinned data is given priority over unpinned data.