Handling legacy BIOS services for mass storage devices using systems management interrupts with or without waiting for data transferred to mass storage devices

摘要

A method, system, and computer program product containing instructions for handling legacy BIOS services for mass storage devices using system management interrupts. In response to receiving a request for an input/output service, a system management interrupt is generated to enter system management mode. A system management RAM (SMRAM) is accessible to code executing inside system management mode. Sub-operations to perform the requested service are identified, and code is executed outside the SMRAM to perform a sub-operation to fulfill the request. The sub-operations identified for execution outside SMRAM include any sub-operations that require waiting for data to be transferred. Other code executing inside the SMRAM may perform additional sub-operations that do not require waiting for data transfers to fulfill the request. System management mode is exited before invoking the code to perform the sub-operation to execute outside the SMRAM.