Patent ID: 7017038

Claim:
A system for providing a boot-up operation for a computer system, comprising: a CPU; a main memory; a boot memory configured to store contents including a boot program and CPU operating system code, wherein the boot program is configured to initiate a boot up operation of the computer system; a bootstrap memory configured to store a bootstrap program; and an I/O port; wherein upon system initiation and before the boot program initiates the boot up operation of the computer system, the CPU executes the bootstrap program, wherein the bootstrap program checks the boot memory to determine if the boot memory contents are usable for the boot-up operation; and wherein upon determining that the boot memory contents are not usable for the boot-up operation, the CPU is directed by the bootstrap program to download a copy of the CPU operating system code via the I/O port into the main memory to allow the boot-up operation to be continued.