An apparatus, program product and method utilize targeted boot diagnostics
in connection with a boot operation to automate the handling of hardware
failures detected during startup or initialization of a computer. In
particular, in response to detection of a failure after initiation of and
during performance of a boot operation, a targeted diagnostic operation
is initiated on at least one hardware device in the computer in response
to detecting the failure, such that after the targeted diagnostic
operation is initiated, the boot operation may be completed.