Patent ID: 6857065

Claim:
A system for initializing a data processing system, comprising: a plurality of parameter registers; a hardware initialization port capable of receiving a first set of user-definable initialization data utilized for initializing said data processing system; a serial non-volatile memory, coupled to said plurality of parameter registers, said serial non-volatile memory utilized for storing a second set of initialization data utilized for initializing said data processing system; a parallel non-volatile memory, coupled to said plurality of parameter registers, said parallel non-volatile memory utilized for storing a third set of initialization data utilized for initializing said data processing system; and a multiplexor interposed between said parameter registers and said hardware initialization port, said serial non-volatile memory, and said parallel non-volatile memory, wherein said multiplexer determines a selected set of initialization data from among said first, second and third sets of initialization data and relays said selected set of initialization data to said plurality of parameter registers, in response to a control signal, such that said data processing system is initialized from an uninitialized state to a minimal level of operation utilizing said selected set of initialization data.