INTRODUCTION This chapter describes the firmware contents of the 486 PROM chips, specifically the system monitor programs and the power-up tests. SYSTEM MONITOR The system monitor is a collection of programs and modules that reside in EPROM. The monitor provides initial system checks and exercises the initial coordination and control of the system. The first function of the monitor is to initialize system hardware. Thereafter, the Monitor loads in (auto-boot) the operating system from the hard disk into the computer's memory. The Monitor then provides the option to interrupt auto-boot in order to select from a menu of other loading sources.
These other sources include booting from a floppy disk, booting from WorkNet or entering the Debugger. In addition the Monitor: 6-1