A communication interface system including a computer and a handheld device that communicate with each other via respective communication ports. The computer communication port is a serial port or an infrared transceivers conveniently located on the front bezel of the computer. In serial embodiments, the computer executes the appropriate driver and interface applications to enable transfer of information to the handheld device. In infrared embodiments, the computer includes a microcontroller, an I.sup.2 C bus and memory, where the microcontroller implements infrared communication protocol. Alternatively, the computer may further include a management processor that either replaces or cooperates with the microcontroller. Auxiliary power may enable handheld communications when the computer is shut down. The handheld device interfaces with the computer communication port to retrieve and display the status information. The handheld device effectively replaces external LCD health status hardware that typically consumes valuable space on the front bezel of the computer. The handheld device may further replace traditional input/output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, a monitor, a disk drive, etc. For example, the handheld device may be utilized to monitor and control boot up operations of the computer, such as displaying boot up information or otherwise executing setup or diagnostic routines.