Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Darryl Steven Richman

Ralph A Lipe

Pierre-Yves Santerre

David William Voth

Mark R Enstrom

Robert T Short

Thomas E Lennon

Moshe Lichtman

Robert M McKaughan

Brian Alan Reynolds

A system for configuring a network adapter of a computer without user intervention. Device information for the devices of the computer, including each network adapter, is collected to uniquely identify the devices and to describe the device characteristics associated with the operation of those devices with the computer. Computer resources, which support the functions of the devices within the computer, are allocated based upon this device information. This allocation process prevents a potential conflicting use of computer resources by the installed devices. A device driver, which enables communications between a corresponding device and the computer, is also identified and loaded for each of the devices in response to the allocation of computer resources. In response to loading the driver for each network adapter, each network configuration routine or layer for a particular interface of the corresponding network adapter is identified. In response to the identification of these layers, each identified layer for the particular interface is loaded. In turn, layers are identified and loaded for each of the remaining interfaces of the corresponding network adapter.

Method for automatically configuring devices including a network adapter without manual intervention and without prior configuration information

System for automatically configuring a network adapter without manual

A method and system are disclosed for invoking a limited or 'fail-safe' functionality from a computer system having a graphical user interface (GUI). In one aspect, a computer operating system having GUI functionality can be activated with two different sets of GUI features. Normally, the operating system provides a full complement of GUI features. Alternatively, the operating system provides a more limited set of GUI features. The operating system invokes the limited set of GUI features either in response to a user command, such as a keyboard function key pressed during the bootstrap loading sequence of the operating system, or automatically in response to a failure of an attempt by the computer system to load the normal complement of GUI functions. With the limited set of GUI features, the user of the computer can take advantage of the power of graphical user interfaces even when the computer system is not operating normally. For example, the user can run graphically based diagnostic and repair programs from the 'fail-safe' mode. The invention finds application in stand-alone and networked computer systems and, in particular, in systems that store the bulk of the operating system software on a remote server accessible only by network.

Reduced or fail-safe bootstrapping of a system having a graphical user

Method for automatically configuring devices including a network adapter

Reduce or fail-safe bootstrapping of a system having a graphical user

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Bellevue, WA, United States of America

Darryl Steven Richman