HP Business Desktops BIOS

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Fail-safe flash recovery

Regardless of the delivery mechanism, HP BIOS-based computers include a write-protected boot block

ROM that provides recovery from a failed flashing of the computer BIOS. If the BIOS image fails the

POST integrity test after being updated, the boot block code automatically executes, warns the user of

the failure, and provides the minimum amount of support necessary to allow the HP Business Desktop

computer to search removable media, such as floppy, CD, or USB flash devices, for BIOS image files.

The system power LED blinks red 8 times, once per second, to indicate fail-safe flash recovery.

Simultaneously, if the system is so equipped, the system speaker beeps 8 times. If the portion of the

system ROM containing the video option ROM image is not corrupt, “Boot Block Emergency Recovery

Mode” will be displayed on the screen. If the computer finds an appropriate BIOS image file, it is

automatically flashed into the ROM.

Industry Standards

The HP BIOS is fully industry-standard compliant. In many situations, the HP BIOS has led in the

formation of various standards. The following table shows some of the more common standards

supported by the HP BIOS and HP’s contributions:

HP BIOS Compatibility

Technology/Standard Web Site Standard’s value to the product

Advanced Configuration

Power Interface (ACPI)*

http://www.acpi.info/spec.

htm

ACPI allows operating system controlled configuration and

Power Management. This interface is necessary to fully

unleash the power of Windows operating system products.

HP provided early critical input to the specification and

supplied on of the first ACPI hardware and BIOS capable

computers to Microsoft for ACPI development in both

Windows 98 and Windows 2000.

Alert Standard Format http://www.dmtf.org/stand

ards/documents/ASF/DSP0

136.pdf

ASF defines method of sending notifications to the network

when the computer does not successfully complete the POST

or has an alert condition (chassis intrusion, processor failure,

memory failure, or temperature alert) in a manner that can

be monitored by remote consoles. Specification also defines

remote control functions. HP is a contributing member of the

DMTF group defining the evolution of this standard.

AT Attachment—7 with

Packet Interface

(ATA/ATAPI-7)

http://www.t13.org ATA is the interface mostly used for storage device interface

in most computers.

ATAPI Removable Media

Device BIOS

Specification

http://www.phoenix.com/

NR/rdonlyres/EDD1AAA0-

177E-4024-A0B1-

E4BD06B673F7/0/specsat

api.pdf

This specification provides the BIOS interface for large

capacity ATA removable ATA devices. HP co-authored the

ATAPI specification.

BIOS Boot Specification http://www.phoenix.com/

NR/rdonlyres/56E38DE2-

3E6F-4743-835F-

B4A53726ABED/0/specsb

bs101.pdf

The BIOS Boot Specification provides the user with increased

flexibility in selecting the unit boot media order (diskette,

hard drive, CD ROM, and third-party plug-in adapter

controlled media). HP co-authored this standard.

BIOS32 Service