Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support – Digital data processing system initialization or configuration – Loading initialization program
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-07
2001-08-21
Heckler, Thomas M. (Department: 2182)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support
Digital data processing system initialization or configuration
Loading initialization program
Reexamination Certificate
active
06279109
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A computer system is typically purchased and supplied as a combined hardware-software system. In the past, software was supplied via flexible (floppy) diskettes by manual loading, diskette-by-diskette, into a diskette drive by a purchaser. Memory and disk drive capacity have expanded and the size of software images has soared so that loading of software via flexible diskette has become very cumbersome. For example, the size of a typical software system image has grown to a range of 2 to 600 megabytes and is expected to continuing growing in the future. Thus a large number of flexible diskettes, for example on the order of 50 diskettes or more, are typically used to transfer a typical software system image.
To reduce the burden of software loading, many computer system suppliers have replaced flexible diskettes with high-capacity compact disk (CD) ROMs for supplying software images. Typically, computer system suppliers that supply software on CD ROMs only sell a limited number of hardware configurations (for example 4 to 8) that utilize even fewer software configurations (for example 2 or 3). The software system generally includes a common operating system, a graphical user interface (GUI), hardware drivers, software utilities, and application programs for usage among computer systems having various hardware configurations. Software system components are chosen from a multitude of software selections generally based on the applications performed by the computer system. Performance of a computer system configuration, including both hardware and software functionality, depends upon allocation of various hardware resources including control, communication, and storage resources to multiple software tasks.
One problem that arises in computer systems relates to compatability of various software resources in a particular hardware configuration. For example, a computer user may wish to run an application program or graphical user interface that generally runs on an operating system that is not installed on the computer system. In one specific example, a user may wish to bootstrap load a Microsoft® Windows™ Graphical User Interface (GUI) when the Windows Operating System (OS) is not installed on a target system. The user may wish to use the Windows GUI to perform operations that do not otherwise utilize or need the full Windows OS functionality, operations including displaying HTML documents, running diagnostics, and executing system setup programs.
The described resource conflict arises when a non-Windows operating system, such as Unix, Lynx, NetWare®, Banyan, or other Intel Corporation (Santa Clara, Calif.) based operating system, is installed on a target computer system and a user attempts to run a software application that uses or requires Windows OS functionality.
What is needed is a system and operating method that bootstrap loads and runs a graphical user interface (GUI) from CD-ROM when a read/write hard drive partition of an operating system is unavailable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Dell Computer Corporation™ advantageously offers to customers a high level of versatility in selecting a hardware and software configuration for computer systems while avoiding difficulties in software-hardware system integration by “custom” building each computer system to order. A customer orders a computer, specifying particular hardware subsystems and software packages. The software-hardware integration, including installation of particular drivers for the hardware that is installed in fulll native mode in the computer, is performed in the factory by Dell Computer Corporation, tested, and assured of compatibility before the combined system leaves the factory. The software is thus assured to operate with the particular ordered hardware system and also assured to operate in conjunction with particular drivers and the operating system.
One consequence of the build-to-order business model is that each software load is potentially unique. A particular software load may include applications or interfaces that are not supported by the operating system installed in the computer system. Dell Computer Corporation advantageously supports versatility in software configuration of a computer system by incorporating a system and operating method for bootstrap loading and running a graphical user interface from CD-ROM in a computer system for which a read/write hard disk drive partition is unavailable.
What has been discovered is a computing system and operating method that are executable on a target processor and bootstrap loads and runs an application program or interface from an alternative medium, for example a CD-ROM medium or via a network link, when an operating system associated with the application program or interface is not installed on the target processor, and/or no writable magnetic media is present.
In a particular example, a computing system and operating method bootstrap load and run a Microsoft Windows 95 graphical user interface (GUI) although a Windows operating system (OS) may or may not be installed on the target processor.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a computing system includes an executable program code or command entries that load and run a graphical user interface functionality when the operating system associated with the graphical user interface may or may not be installed. The computing system typically includes a processor, a CD-ROM drive coupled to the processor, and a Random-Access Memory (RAM) Drive coupled to the processor. The executable program code or command entries substitute a designator of the RAM-Drive in place of predefined drive designators that are hard-coded into base code of the operating system. The executable program code or command entries disable various functionalities of the operating system that interfere with operating system operations arising from the RAM-Drive. The executable program code or command entries modify a registry in the operating system to permit storage of data on the RAM-Drive and to execute applications from an alternative source such as the CD-ROM drive or via a network link, for example.
The described computer system obviates a requirement imposed on and by the operating system for persistent magnetic read/write storage media. The operating system conventionally uses the persistent magnetic (hard disk) medium to write the operating system registry, swap files, create and use temporary files, create and use log files, create and use a browser cache, browser cookies, browser most recent data, and browser favorite data the described computer system redirects the operating system to use the RAM-Drive rather than the persistent magnetic storage for the various operating system functions.
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Dell U.S.A. L.P.
Heckler Thomas M.
Koestner Ken J.
Skjerven Morrill & MacPherson LLP
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