basic input output system bios program in one embodiment the bios program activates the enable switch 310 to enable the deterministic shutdown mode once the memory devices have been initialized the enable switch 310 outputs a signal to the gate 320 furthermore the gate 320 receives a main reset signal 302 from the system which indicates whether there is a system warm reset the main reset signal 302 is also input to the detector 330 the detector provides an output to the sequencer 340 the sequencer 340 outputs signals to the gate 320 and the memory cycle tracker and command generator 350 the memory cycle tracker and command generator 350 also receives the output from the gate 320 the output of the memory cycle tracker and command generator 350 drives the memory devices in response to the signals from the sequencer 340 and or the gate 320 when the memory devices are not initialized yet the enable switch 310 disables the deterministic shutdown mode to allow the gate 320 to pass the main reset signal 302 to the memory cycle tracker and command generator 350 as well as other logic blocks of the memory controller 300 if the main reset signal 302 indicates that a warm reset occurs in the system the gate 320 passes the main reset signal 302 to cause the memory controller 300 to reset and to allow the bios program upon a system restart to force a cold reset in the memory devices in one embodiment the cold reset includes power cycling the memory devices when the memory devices have been initialized the enable switch 310 enables the deterministic shutdown mode to cause the gate 320 to block the main reset.