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On cold boot or hard reset AMI BIOS performs system diagnostics and
initialization operations which can be broadly classified into the following :-
Starting from 2nd 64kb in conventional memory space do the following 64kb
at a time for the size of conventional memory found in step 13:-
IF <ESC> is pressed
skip all test
Fill the 64kb memory with 0.
Go back to real mode
Display memory size tested so far
Go back to protected mode
ELSE
Do a Sequential Write and Read test
Do a Random Write and Read test
ELSE
Do a Sequential Write and Read test
Do a Random Write and Read test
Check if parity error is registered during any of the above
2 tests.
Fill memory tested with 0
Get into real mode
Display memory size tested so far
Go back to protected mode
Possible errors...
error: Memory Write and Read test error
action: 1 long beep and 3 short beeps produced in the speaker.
The memory size is trimmed to what ever was found good.
error: Parity error registered during Sequential and Random
test on any 64kb segment.
action: 1 long beep and 3 short beeps produced in the speaker.
The memory size is trimmed to what ever was found good.
error: Virtual mode exception error has occured
action: 7 beeps in an infinite loop and system does not proceed
further.
For the 64kb of memory on test, write and then read data patterns 0ffh
and 00h at addresses 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048, 4096,
8192, 16384, 32768. The data read back should be same as that written.
Sequential memory Write and Read test
For the 64kb of memory on test, use test patterns 8080h, 5555h, 3333h,
0f0fh in the same order.
Take one pattern and write it on the entire 64kb space one word at a time.
Then compare the 64k space one word at a time with the value written. If
any word does not retain the value then return error.
Byte 37
_____
Bit 0 This bit has meaning only in BIOS released after March
1989.
1=Test keyboard
0=Do not test keyboard
Bit 1 This bit has meaning only in BIOS released after March
1989.
1=Test Video
0=Don not test Video
Bit 2 Current status of keyboard controller pin 23.
Bit 3 Current Status of Keyboard controller pin 24.
Bit 4-7 Not used
Byte 38
_____
Bit 0-2 Not used
Bit 3 1="INS" key has been pressed
0="INS" key not pressed
Bit 4 1=Weitek co-processor present
0=Weitek co-processor absent
Bit 5 1=Enable Video shadow
0=Disable video shadow
Bit 6 1=Relocate 256k memory
0=Do not relocate 256k memory
Bit 7 1=32-bit memory card installed
0=32-bit memory card not installed
Byte 39-3A
________
These bytes are used to save the segment value of the memory BIOS is
going to use for Load all function translation. For MARK II AT Board this
actually points to BIOS area because BIOS Shadow RAM is enabled.