Dell USA L P

Dell Products Inc.

Alan E Beelitz

Shree A Dandekar

Paul J Maia

Alok Pant

Richard D Amberg

Reva Tolliver

Michael K Padilla

Richard C Lawrence

Roy William Stedman

John J Hawk

Andrew W Wilks

Jeremy R Ziegler

Tad S Goodwin

Alexander Krigsfeld

A fixed image factory installation system which enables installation and launching of additional partitions or volumes. The fixed image factory installation system further enables customization and configuration of additional operating systems with corresponding drivers and software applications stack. The additional partitions can be hidden and do not require a visible descriptor.

Method and apparatus to customize and configure multiple operating systems on a server

A method for registering and initiating a pre-boot environment for enabling partitions. The method provides a basic input output system (CIOS) with an application program interface (API) that accesses a Logical Clock Address (LCA) sector number when a boot configuration flag is set, the LCA sector number stores an operating environment manager which then boots the information handling system to an appropriate partition.

System for registering and initiating pre-boot environment for enabling partitions

Systems and methods for managing booting of an information handling system are disclosed. A method for managing the booting of an information handling system may include receiving user input for booting an information handling system to a first partition or a second partition. The user input may be used to determine whether the received user input is for booting to the first partition or to the second partition. In response to determining that the received user input is for booting to the second partition, a determination may be made whether the information handling system is authorized to boot to the second partition. In response to determining that the information handling system is authorized to boot to the second partition, the information handling system may be booted to the second partition. In response to determining that the information handling system is not authorized to boot to the second partition, the information handling system may be booted to the first partition.

System and method for managing booting of an information handling system

A mechanism via which system state changes can be detected and corrected automatically prior to a customer initiated boot. The mechanism is extensible to address newly added or discovered system state changes that result in a locked condition. The mechanism detects and corrects adverse events before booting into the operating system.

Auto-detecting and auto-correcting system state changes before booting into operating systems

A system and method for restoring a master boot record in association with accessing a hidden partition is disclosed. According to one aspect, a method of restoring a master boot record for a storage device is disclosed. The method can include initiating access to a hidden partition stored within a storage device. The method can also include disassociating a visible partition descriptor from a visible partition of the storage device. The method can also include associating the visible partition descriptor with the hidden partition and accessing the hidden partition using the visible partition descriptor. The method can also include reassociating the visible partition descriptor with the visible partition while accessing the hidden partition.

System and method for restoring a master boot record in association with accessing a hidden partition

A system and method for accessing a hidden partition during a boot sequence is disclosed. An information handling system can include a basic input output system (BIOS) that can be operable to access a master boot record (MBR) of a storage device. The digital media storage device can include a fixed number of visible partitions and at least one hidden partition. The information handling system can further include a processor operable to detect a boot event operably associated with initiating a request to access contents that can be stored within an associated hidden partition of the storage device. The information handing system can also include a memory that can be operable to store at least a portion of the contents of the hidden partition. The contents can be stored upon accessing the hidden partition using an association established between one of the fixed number of visible partitions and the hidden partition.

Method and system to dynamically boot to a non-visible partition

Execution is initiated of operating system software by a computer system. After initiating execution of the operating system software, a partition is formed within a computer-readable medium. In response to the partition, information is formed that identifies a logical drive associated with the partition, irrespective of whether execution of the operating system software is reinitiated.

Computer system and method for accessing a computer-readable medium

Method and apparatus for partitioning a hard disk during installation of a network OS. In one embodiment, a computer system is booted from a CD-ROM containing a computer server setup (&ldquo;CSS&rdquo;) program. The CSS program prompts a user for certain disk preparation data, including the primary and utility partition sizes and volume label. The CSS program then writes a self-loading binary image (&ldquo;SLBI&rdquo;) to the first track of the first hard disk immediately following the master boot record (&ldquo;MBR&rdquo;). The SLBI includes a bootstrap loader, disk preparation code, and the disk preparation data. The sector address of the SLBI bootstrap loader is placed into a partition descriptor within the master partition table (&ldquo;MPT&rdquo;) of the MBR. The computer is then rebooted and control transferred to the SLBI, which the prepares the hard disk by partitioning the disk to include a utility and primary partition of the desired sizes and volume label (primary partition) and formatting these partitions appropriately. The SLBI then removes itself from the first track and updates the MPT with the new descriptors, at which point the computer system is again rebooted.

Method for preparing computer hard disks during installation of a network operating system

A computer system includes first and second computer-readable media. The second computer-readable medium stores information specifying one of the first and second computer-readable media from which the computer system boots. The computer system reads the information from the second computer-readable medium and boots from the specified one of the first and second computer-readable media in response to an event and the information.

System and method for initiating operation of a computer system

A computer system includes at least one processor and at least one computer-readable drive. The at least one computer-readable drive includes at least one partition. The computer system further includes manufacturing process code having instructions for causing the processor to build prescribed internal data structures necessary to support the at least one partition subsequent an initial preparation of the at least one computer-readable drive, further without requiring a system reboot to have access to the at least one computer-readable drive.

Method and apparatus for mapping hard disk partitions and block devices to logical drives in a computer system

A computer system includes a computer-readable medium. First and second partitions are formed within the computer-readable medium. The second partition is within the first partition. A computer program is processable by the computer system for causing the computer system to form the first and second partitions. The computer program is accessible by apparatus in the computer system.

Computer system and method for preparing a computer-readable medium

A software installation process for use in the manufacture of a prescribed computer system includes the steps of providing at least one processor, at least one memory, and an interface for connecting the computer system to a network server. The at least one memory includes a master boot record, a utility partition and a primary partition. The utility partition includes manufacturing code particular to a manufacturing sequence in the manufacture of the computer system. The primary partition further includes file allocation tables and a root directory. Upon booting of the computer system, the manufacturing code is executed by the at least one processor, wherein the manufacturing sequence includes at least a downloading of software from the network server to the primary partition. The manufacturing code further includes instructions for clearing the file allocation tables and the root directory of the primary partition upon the occurrence of an interruption in the downloading of software from the network server and instructions for enabling the software download to be restarted without reformatting and repartitioning of the at least one memory.

Recoverable software installation process and apparatus for a computer system

A system and method for preventing a program from being run under a debugger utility program. The method is part of a routine which is stored along with a software program on a hard drive of a computer system. The computer system has a processor for running both the software program and the routine and is capable of operating in a debug mode. The routine prevents unauthorized access to the software program, such as when the processor is running in the debug mode. When the processor is running the software program, the program can initiate execution of the routine. Once initiated, the routine checks a certain registers of the processor to determine if it is operating in the debug mode and if so, stops the processor from continuing to run the software program.

Method and system for preventing unauthorized access to a computer program

A system for specifying, ordering, and building a build-to-order computer system. After initiating an ordering session, a user such as a purchaser or designer is presented with a list of options such as a list of operating systems offered by a computer system vendor or manufacturer that may be implemented on a targeted computer system. After receiving an indication of a selection from a first list of options, the system accesses a computer system readable master data base to generate a second list of options such as software programs wherein each option of the second list is compatible with the selection from the first list. The master data base includes entries for every option offered by the computer system vendor or manufacturer and includes at least one tag indicating compatibly with other entries in the master data base. The system can be used to present to the user a plurality of lists wherein all of the options presented are compatible with the previous selections. The system writes indications of the selections in a data file. The data file is provided to manufacturing wherein the selections are implemented on a targeted computer system using the data file. The system may also include a sniffing feature used to determine particular hardware parameters of the targeted computer system. The system uses the determined parameters in generating the compatible lists of options. The system enables a purchaser to buy and order a computer system over a computer network such as the Internet.

Growing community of inventors

Leander, TX, United States of America

Alan E Beelitz