DEADLOCK DETECTION AND PREVENTION MECHANISM FOR A COMPUTER SYSTEM

A method and apparatus for detecting a deadlock condition where two or more processes are waiting for events which cannot happen. Firmware is provided to examine the request of a first process of a group of processes for assignment of a first resource of a group of resources, and to determine whether said first resource is or is not currently assigned to a second process of said group of processes which said second process is already waiting directly or indirectly or a second resource of said group of resources which said second resource is currently assigned to the said first process.