Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Darwin Ou-Yang

Ravinder S Thind

Karan Mehra

Darren Glen Moss

Peter Novotney

Oleg Kagan

Matt Garson

Sameer Chetan Saiya

Neal Robert Christiansen

Matthew Stuart Garson

Neal R Christensen

Native file encryption support is integrated into an existing file system that does not provide such support, such as the FAT family of file systems, while maintaining backwards compatibility with previous implementations of these file systems.

File encryption support for FAT file systems

In a first area of a persistent memory, data is stored that defines a known good state that is operable to launch the computing device to the known good state in response to a reboot. In response to a write request to the first area of persistent memory, the requested write is directed to a second area of the persistent memory and a record of redirected writes to the second area of persistent memory is updated. A request is received to establish an update to the known good state. The updated known good state is operable to launch the computing device to the updated known good state in response to a reboot. In response to the request, the record is persisted such that in response to a reboot, the record is usable to restore the redirected writes, thereby launching the computing device to the updated known good state.

Configurable recovery states

In a first area of a persistent memory, state data is stored that defines a known good state that is operable to launch a computing device to the known good state in response to a reboot. Allocation information indicative of free and allocated portions of the persistent memory is accessed. In response to a write request to the first area of persistent memory, when the write request is to an allocated portion of the persistent memory, the requested write is redirected to a second area of the persistent memory. A record of redirected writes to the second area of persistent memory is updated. When the write request is to a free portion of the persistent memory, the write request is allowed to be executed in the first area of persistent memory. The record of redirected writes is updated with the writes to the second area of persistent memory.

Free space pass-through

An application programming interface (API) module provides access to data, independent of filesystem implementation in a non-privileged user mode. A discovery volume having a filesystem recognizable by an operating system has cover files which prevent damage to data stored in an unrecognizable primary volume. The discovery volume also includes a data access API available for execution in a non-privileged user mode to render the primary volume accessible by operating systems which would otherwise find the primary volume unrecognizable.

Non-privileged access to data independent of filesystem implementation

A file system independent virtualized boot block with discovery volume and cover files renders a volume visible when accessed by an accessing system which differs from a source system. For example, a downlevel operating system recognizes that data is present on a volume created in an uplevel operating system, even where the uplevel data itself may not be accessible.

Virtualized boot block with discovery volume

A setup-free software application and related operating techniques are described herein. The setup-free application is contained within a package file that does not appear as a program file to the computing system. When the package file is opened, the computing system virtualizes the 'installation' of the setup-free application without copying application files to the actual file system and without making any modifications to the actual registry. When the setup-free application is running, operating requests (such as file read requests, registry read requests, and file write requests) are directed to the contents of the package file. Such redirection away from the actual file system and away from the actual registry enables the computing system to run the setup-free application from the package file.

Mapping of virtualized setup-free applications for a computing system

Embodiments include a file system data structure and file system recognition APIs that may allow an operating system to identify a partition of a storage device as having a valid file system, even if the operating system does not know how to access the file system a priori. File systems can implement these data structures in a standardized, known location within a partition on the storage device such that an operating system may use APIs or other functions to examine the known location for the presence of these data structures. Information on how to interpret the data structure may be obtained using a network or other source.

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Redmond, WA, United States of America

Darwin Ou-Yang