Patent ID: 7836302

Claim:
A method for authenticating game data, booting an operating system, and recording event messages in the operating system of a gaming machine; comprising: authenticating game data files on a storage media before booting the operating system or running any software programs from the storage media using a file allocation reader stored in a basic input/output system (BIOS) of the gaming machine to access game data files stored in the storage media without running the operating system, wherein the authenticating comprises: opening a file allocation structure using the file allocation reader; reading the file allocation structure using the file allocation reader; processing the file allocation structure using a processor to provide access to files stored in the storage media; wherein the files in the storage media include installed identification data from one or more selected gaming units as to components actually installed on the selected gaming units, and wherein the files also include registered identification data for components supposed to be installed on the selected gaming units, each component including hardware components and software components, and each gaming unit including multiple components with identification data; and examining the installed identification data and registered identification data to determine enablement of the gaming units; booting the operating system; monitoring one or more system events being processed by the gaming machine; detecting a selected one of the one or more system events for recording; and storing an event message for the detected system event in a log file.