Data processing: software development – installation – and managem – Software upgrading or updating
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-07
2004-03-23
Zhen, Wei (Department: 2122)
Data processing: software development, installation, and managem
Software upgrading or updating
Reexamination Certificate
active
06711736
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a method of obtain the BIOS version date in the windows operating system and, in particular, to a method of obtaining the BIOS version date in the windows operating system using dynamic virtual device drivers (VxDs).
2. Related Art
Due to the rapid development in computer hardware technologies, the BIOS is changed and upgraded by the computer manufacturers all the time. Since different BIOS's support different hardware and services, it is thus very important to be able to obtain the BIOS version date to facilitate the programming of software that performs hardware tests.
In the conventional DOS, the BIOS version date can be obtained by reading the fixed BIOS memory. However, the windows operating system does not allow application routines to directly accessing the memory. Therefore, there is a difficulty in obtaining the BIOS version date in the windows operating system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The method of obtaining the BIOS version date in the windows operating system disclosed by the present invention uses a dynamic virtual device driver (VxD) to implement the retrieval of the BIOS version date in the windows operating system. Utilizing the feature that the VxD can run in RING
0
privilege and by defining the structure of input and output parameters, the disclosed method can obtain the system BIOS version date and the video BIOS version date from the BIOS.
Taking a system information display in a notebook computer test procedure Evolution as an example, the system BIOS version date and the video BIOS version date have to be displayed. After loading in the BIOSDATE.VxD, define in the input parameter structure that StartAddress is 0xffff0, PrepareSize is 0x400(1K). Using the READDATE function in the VxD, the value of CatchedValue in the return value structure is the expected system BIOS version date.
Defining In the output parameter structure that StartAddress is 0xc0000, PrepareSize is 0x400. Using the READDATE function in the VxD again, the value of CatchedValue in the return value structure is the expected video BIOS version date.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.
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Chen Tong S
Lin Kuang-Shin
Lo Chiang
Inventec C'orporation
Zhen Wei
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