BIOS Boot Recovery Entry After Repeated Abnormal Shutdowns

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems fail to recover from abnormal shutdowns during the BIOS boot stage, preventing the entry into system recovery environments when the operating system cannot be accessed due to damage.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that tracks abnormal shutdowns using a BIOS Flash Flag, displaying a recovery option when the threshold is exceeded, allowing users to select and execute a system recovery mechanism to restore the device to factory settings.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the computer uses traditional boot loader to start the operating system, then the system can normally boot up, but the computer cannot enter the system recovery environment when the operating system is damaged or abnormal shutdowns occur during BIOS boot stage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem recovery capabilityVSAvoidentry into recovery environment
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a preliminary action by checking the BIOS Flash Flag before the operating system boot process to determine if abnormal shutdowns have occurred. This allows the system to proactively present recovery options at the BIOS stage, before the operating system loads, ensuring that users can access recovery mechanisms even when the OS is damaged or unresponsive. The BIOS boot stage inspection and flag checking occur in advance of normal system operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism by inserting a recovery option presentation layer between the BIOS boot process and the operating system loader. This intermediary stage checks the BIOS Flash Flag and, when abnormal shutdowns are detected, presents recovery options to the user before the traditional boot loader executes. This mediator enables system recovery access independent of the operating system's operational state.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If the computer automatically boots into system recovery environment when abnormal shutdowns are detected, then system recovery is facilitated, but the normal boot process is interrupted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautomatic recovery entryVSAvoidboot speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by performing a selective check of the BIOS Flash Flag during the BIOS boot stage without fully interrupting or halting the boot process. The system evaluates the flag status and only presents recovery options when abnormal shutdowns are detected, rather than automatically diverting to recovery mode in all cases. This partial intervention maintains normal boot flow when no recovery is needed while enabling recovery access when necessary.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamics by making the boot process adaptive based on the BIOS Flash Flag status. The system dynamically adjusts its behavior: when the flag indicates normal operation, the boot process proceeds automatically without interruption; when the flag indicates abnormal shutdowns, the system dynamically presents recovery options to the user. This dynamic approach allows the boot process to respond to system state rather than following a fixed path.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3816804B1System recovery method and device
Publication Date: 2025.11.26 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3816804B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3816804B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3816804B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

Embodiments of this application provide a system recovery method and an apparatus and relate to the field of communications technologies, so as to more smoothly guide a user in implementing system recovery of an electronic device. The method is applied to an electronic device, comprising: obtaining a quantity of abnormal shutdowns of the electronic device at a BIOS boot stage of the electronic device; if the quantity of abnormal shutdowns of the electronic device is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, displaying a first interface, where the first interface includes a first system recovery mechanism option; and receiving a selection operation on the first system recovery mechanism option, and running a first system recovery mechanism in response to the selection operation on the first system recovery mechanism option.