Computer system with two operating systems

• US 20020143844A1
• Filed: 03/29/2001
• Published: 10/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Compal Electronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Compal Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Tsai, Wen-Sung
• Application Number:
  US09/819,753
• Publication Number:
  US 20020143844A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/102
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/441 Multiboot arrangements, i.e. selecting an operating system to be loaded

Abstract

A computer system includes a processor for executing a program, a main memory for storing programs and data, a memory for storing a basic input/output system (BIOS), a first operating system, and at least one application program and a hard disk for storing a second operating system. When the computer system is turned on, the BIOS is loaded into the main memory to perform a system testing process, and then the computer system can choose to load the first operating system into the main memory so as to execute the application program stored in the memory or load the second operating system into the main memory so as to execute the second operating system. The first operating system is only capable of executing the application program stored in the memory.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a processor for executing a program;

a main memory for storing programs and data;

a memory for storing a basic input/output system (BIOS), a first operating system, and at least one application program; and

a hard disk for storing a second operating system;

wherein when the computer system is turned on, the BIOS is loaded into the main memory to perform a system testing process, and then the computer system is capable of choosing to load the first operating system into the main memory so as to execute the application program stored in the memory or load the second operating system into the main memory so as to execute the second operating system, the first operating system being only capable of executing the application program stored in the memory.

2. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the memory is a flash memory for storing data required by the application program.

3. The computer system of claim 2 wherein when the computer system is executing the second operating system, the second operating system is capable of writing data into the flash memory or reading data from the flash memory.

4. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the memory is a read-only memory for storing data required by the application program.

5. The computer system of claim 4 wherein when the computer system is executing the second operating system, the second operating system is capable of writing data into the read-only memory or reading data from the read-only memory.

6. The computer system of claim 1 further comprising a switch for selecting the first operating system or the second operating system.

7. The computer system of claim 1 further comprising an input device and a display device for displaying an image picture, wherein the application program is controlled by the input device and the display device.

8. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the application program is a calendar, a phone book or a memorandum application program.

9. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the main memory is a DRAM.