Switching a defective signal line with a spare signal line without shutting down the computer system

摘要

A method, computer program product and system for switching a defective signal line with a spare signal line without shutting down the computer system. A service processor monitors error correction code (ECC) check units configured to detect an error in a signal line. If an ECC check unit detects an error rate that exceeds a threshold, then the signal line with such an error rate may be said to be “defective.” The service processor configures switch control units in the driver/receiver pair associated with the defective signal line to be able to switch the defective signal line with a spare line upon receipt of a command from a memory controller switch control unit. In this manner, the system is not deactivated in order to switch a defective signal line with a spare line thereby reducing the time that the processor cannot send information to the memory buffers.