Patent ID: 8360871

Claim:
An apparatus, comprising: at least one processor; a software program which, when executed by the at least one processor, is associated with presenting a wagering game upon which monetary value may be wagered; a non-volatile memory in the form of phase-change random access memory, nanotube random access memory, or a combination thereof, to store the software program without alteration across reset cycles of the apparatus, and to provide access for execution of the software program by the at least one processor after a preliminary authentication of the software program occurs, wherein the non-volatile memory is divided into sections corresponding to each one of a plurality of other software programs, wherein the sections are to be individually powered to access selected ones of the plurality of other software programs, wherein selected ones of the sections are powered-down when the selected ones are not accessed within a predetermined amount of time; and a mass storage device to store the software program and to permit full authentication of the software program, wherein execution of the software program by the at least one processor is to be halted if the full authentication fails; wherein the at least one processor initiates a first execution of the software from the non-volatile memory to present the wagering game, the processor thereafter entering at least one reset cycle, and in response performing a subsequent preliminary authentication of the software program in the non-volatile memory without reloading the software program into the non-volatile memory, wherein the at least one processor initiates a second execution of the software program from the non-volatile memory to present the wagering game, the processor conducting a background full authentication of the software program stored in the mass storage while the second executing occurs.