PCI System and adapter requirements following reset

A method of registering a newly added peripheral device with a computer system by responding with a status message from the device to a bus of the computer system, in response to an access attempt, and within a predetermined time period from the deasserting of the reset signal applied to device, so as to avoid stalling and thereby avoid the need to reboot the system in order to initialize the new peripheral device with the operating system. The device may be allowed to initially send a retry response, provided the response occurs during an initial latency period which is less than the predetermined time period. The invention also enables the peripheral device to respond to non-configuration cycles immediately following configuration completion. Internal logic of the peripheral device can be initialized after responding with the status message. Non-configuration access to the peripheral device can be prevented until it is ready to respond, by setting a bit (in the configuration space of the peripheral device to indicate that the peripheral device is ready.