Running ramdisk-based microsoft windows 95/98/me

• US 20020194394A1
• Filed: 07/03/2002
• Published: 12/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chan, Kam-fu
• Original Assignee: Chan, Kam-fu
• Inventors: Chan, Kam-fu
• Granted Patent: US 7,181,738 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/319
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4406 Loading of operating system

Abstract

A method, resulting in producing a customized running image of files, is provided for running, through customized booting process. Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME on ramdisk in protected WINDOWS mode with additional advantages of either freedom of choice of access to non-volatile rewriteable storage medium or flexibility of preserving user configuration in User Drive(s). The method and the booting process include the steps of producing a customized copy of configuration files used by Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME; copying these configuration files, system files provided by Microsoft for setting up Windows 95/98/ME, other device drivers and programs to storage medium/media to be used in computer system(s) or device(s) capable of running Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME; and with the use of these files from the storage medium/media, booting up in real DOS mode, preparing for and running off Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME on ramdisk in protected WINDOWS mode in the computer system(s) or device(s).

Claims

1. A method, the Contained Style, capable of being implemented in computer-executable programme(s) and/or computer-executable instruction(s), comprising steps, in appropriate combination, of preparing and producing a copy of customized running image of files (including Windows system files stored in a virtual container drive so defined as System Drive;

and user configuration files and WIN.COM stored in a virtual container drive so defined as Configuration Drive;

or Windows system files, user configuration files and WIN.COM stored together in a virtual container drive so defined as System &

Configuration Drive, to be transferred onto ramdisk) copied or transferred to storage medium/media to be used for running off Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME in protected WINDOWS mode on ramdisk with freedom of choice of access to non-volatile rewriteable storage medium in computer systems or devices capable of running the operating system;

3. The said steps of claim 1 comprising the step to the effect of producing a copy of customized configuration files in appropriate combination to be read under real DOS mode on booting, such files including:

(a) claim 11 with customized entries as specified in claims 12, 13, 15, 16 and 17 in appropriate combination;

(b) claim 18 with customized entries as specified in claims 19 to 25 in appropriate combination where claim 21 is applicable to Microsoft Windows 95/98 only; and

(c) claim 26 with customized entries as specified in claims 27 to 38 in appropriate combination where claims 27 and 28 are applicable to Microsoft Windows ME only and claim 30 is applicable to Microsoft Windows 95/98 only;

4. The said steps of claim 1 comprising the step to the effect of producing a copy of customized configuration files, including claims 39 to 43 in appropriate combination, to be read by Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME when starting off on ramdisk and running afterwards in protected WINDOWS mode;

where any entries in these configuration files relating to the locations of files used by Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME are customized to pointing to their valid locations; and

in particular entries relating to the locations of files in System Drive and Configuration Drive, or in System &

Configuration Drive sitting on ramdisk are so customized to pointing to their valid locations on ramdisk;

5. The said steps of claim 1 comprising the step to the effect of copying or transferring:

(a) files selected if and as appropriate from files provided by Microsoft for setting up a running image of Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME or from files of a running image of Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME (in the case of Microsoft Windows ME, including IO.SYS, COMMAND.COM and REGENV32.EXE, which have been enabled to allow access to real DOS mode in the booting process); and

/or

(b) the customized copy of configuration files as specified in claims 11, 18 and 26 in appropriate combination; and

/or

(c) the customized copy of configuration files as specified in claims 39, 40, 41, 42 and 43 in appropriate combination; and

/or

(d) the file folders, Desktop and Start Menu, and all the files and sub-file folders within these two file folders of the installed Windows directory; and

/or

(e) ramdisk driver(s), storage device driver(s), and virtual container drive driver(s) in appropriate combination; and

/or

(f) programmes for reading, writing and utilizing ramdisk(s), storage medium/media and virtual container drive(s) and programmes for copying or transferring files in appropriate combination to valid locations of virtual container drive(s) (virtual container drive being defined as a computer file or file container that is readable, writeable, mountable and recognizable as a compatible drive wherein the files so contained are accessible for use by Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME), including and acting as, as appropriate as the case may be, System Drive, Configuration Drive and System &

Configuration Drive that has/have been created on or is/are subsequently copied or transferred to storage medium, which can be recognized as logical drive(s) and can be used in the booting process by the booting device of a computer system or device capable of running Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME so that these virtual container drive(s) is/are accessible for the purpose of copying or transfer onto ramdisk, mounting up and starting the ramdisk-based Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME into protected WINDOWS mode;

6. The said steps of claim 1 comprising the step to the effect of copying or transferring

(a) IO.SYS and COMMAND.COM (which have been enabled to allow access to real DOS mode in the booting process in the case of Microsoft Windows ME), as well as HIMEM.SYS and IFSHLP.SYS in the case of Microsoft Windows 95/98 or IFSHLP.SYS in the case of Microsoft Windows ME;

(b) the customized copy of configuration files as specified in claims 11, 18 and 26 in appropriate combination; and

(c) ramdisk driver(s), storage device driver(s), virtual container drive driver(s);

programme(s) for reading, writing and utilizing ramdisk(s), storage medium/media and virtual container drive(s); and

programme(s) for copying or transferring files in appropriate combination to storage medium/media wherein they are placed in valid location(s) of logical drive(s) that can be recognized and used in the booting process by the booting device of a computer system or device capable of running Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME;

39. A customized copy of Registry files so produced as specified in claim 4 and in particular wherein the key of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SystemRoot is set to the directory as specified by WinBootDir= setting in MSDOS.SYS;

40. A customized copy of Policy files so produced as specified in claim 4;

41. A customized copy of User Profile files so produced as specified in claim 4;

42. A customized copy of INI files so produced as specified in claim 4;

43. A customized copy of Shortcut files so produced as specified in claim 4;

49. A method of booting off the customized running image of files copied or transferred to storage medium/media so produced as specified in claim 1 under real DOS mode into protected WINDOWS mode on ramdisk;

wherein the booting process, through executing computer-executable programme(s) or computer-executable instruction(s), including but not limited to using the customized configuration files as specified in claims 11, 18 and 26 in appropriate combination and the customized configuration files as specified in claims 39, 40, 41, 42 and 43 in appropriate combination, executes the steps as specified in claims 50 to 56 as appropriate to the effect that the ramdisk-based Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME runs into protected WINDOWS mode with System Drive and Configuration Drive or System &

Configuration Drive on ramdisk;

50. The step to the effect of reading in IO.SYS and COMMAND.COM, and if available and as appropriate MSDOS.SYS, CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT, as contained in the customized running image of files so produced as specified in claim 1;

51. The step to the effect of loading HIMEM.SYS and IFSHLP.SYS in the case of Microsoft Windows 95/98 or IFSHLP.SYS in the case of Microsoft Windows ME as contained in the customized running image of files so produced as specified in claim 1;

52. The step to the effect of loading and preparing ramdisk device driver(s), virtual container drive driver(s) and if available and as appropriate storage device driver(s) as contained in the customized running image of files so produced as specified in claim 1 for use;

53. The step to the effect of copying or transferring as appropriate as the case may be from the storage medium virtual container drive(s), including System Drive and Configuration Drive, or System &

Configuration Drive so produced as specified in claim 5 to ramdisk;

54. The step to the effect of mounting or making available for use the virtual container drive(s) so copied or transferred to ramdisk as specified in claim 53 so that its contents are accessible for use under real DOS mode;

55. The step to the effect of issuing the command(s) SUBST.EXE to substitute one drive for another, if necessary, so that through substitution the relevant entries of configuration files (as contained in the customized running image of files so produced as specified in claim 1) relating to the locations of files used by Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME are pointing to their valid locations, in particular entries relating to the locations of files in System Drive and Configuration Drive, or System &

Configuration Drive on ramdisk are so pointing to their valid locations on ramdisk;

56. The step to the effect of issuing WIN.COM for running off Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME on ramdisk into protected WINDOWS mode;

and during the process, the customized running image of files so produced as specified in claim 1 is used;

65. The customized running image of files so produced as appropriate and copied or transferred to storage medium/media as specified in claim 1;

66. The use of the customized running image of files so produced as appropriate and copied or transferred to storage medium/media as specified in claim 1 in computer system(s) or device(s) capable of running Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME;

2. A method, the Split Style, capable of being implemented in computer-executable programme(s) and/or computer-executable instruction(s), comprising steps, in appropriate combination, of preparing and producing a copy of customized running image of files (including Windows system files stored in a virtual container drive so defined as System Drive to be transferred onto ramdisk;

and user configuration files and WIN.COM stored in a virtual container drive so defined as Configuration Drive created on non-volatile rewriteable storage medium) copied or transferred to storage medium/media to be used for running off Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME in protected WINDOWS mode on ramdisk with user configuration information preserved and optionally system and user application(s) set up in User Drive(s) (User Drive being defined as a virtual container drive or ordinary drive created on non-volatile rewriteable storage medium for storing and preserving configuration, application and data) in computer systems or devices capable of running the operating system;

8. The said steps of claim 2 comprising the step to the effect of producing a copy of customized configuration files, including claims 44 to 48 in appropriate combination, to be read by Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME when starting off on ramdisk and running afterwards in protected WINDOWS mode;

where any entries in these configuration files relating to the locations of files used by Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME are customized to pointing to their valid locations;

in particular entries relating to locations of files in System Drive are pointed to their valid locations on ramdisk, and entries for files in Configuration Drive and/or in other User Drive(s) are pointed to their valid locations on non-volatile rewriteable storage medium as appropriate;

44. A customized copy of Registry files so produced as specified in claim 8 and in particular wherein the key of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SystemRoot is set to the directory as specified by WinBootDir= setting in MSDOS.SYS;

45. A customized copy of Policy files so produced as specified in claim 8;

46. A customized copy of User Profile files so produced as specified in claim 8;

47. A customized copy of INI files so produced as specified in claim 8;

48. A customized copy of Shortcut files so produced as specified in claim 8;

58. The step to the effect of reading in IO.SYS and COMMAND.COM, and if available and as appropriate MSDOS.SYS, CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT, as contained in the customized running image of files so produced as specified in claim 2;

59. The step to the effect of loading HIMEM.SYS and IFSHLP.SYS in the case of Microsoft Windows 95/98 or IFSHLP.SYS in the case of Microsoft Windows ME as contained in the customized running image of files so produced as specified in claim 2;

60. The step to the effect of loading and preparing ramdisk device driver(s), virtual container drive driver(s) and if available and as appropriate storage device driver(s) as contained in the customized running image of files so produced as specified in claim 2 for use;

63. The step to the effect of issuing the command(s) SUBST.EXE to substitute one drive for another, if necessary, so that through substitution the relevant entries of configuration files (as contained in the customized running image of files so produced as specified in claim 2) relating to the locations of files used by Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME are pointing to their valid locations, in particular entries relating to the locations of files in System Drive on ramdisk are so pointing to their valid locations on ramdisk and entries relating to the locations of files in Configuration Drive on non-volatile rewriteable storage medium are so pointing to their valid locations on non-volatile rewriteable storage medium;

64. The step to the effect of issuing WIN.COM for running off Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME on ramdisk into protected WINDOWS mode;

and during the process, the customized running image of files so produced as specified in claim 2 is used;

67. The customized running image of files so produced as appropriate and copied or transferred to storage medium/media as specified in claim 2;

and

68. The use of the customized running image of files so produced as appropriate and copied or transferred to storage medium/media as specified in claim 2 in computer system(s) or device(s) capable of running Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME.

11. A customized copy of MSDOS.SYS containing customized entries for running protected-mode ramdisk-based Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME;

7. The said steps of claim 2 comprising the step to the effect of producing a copy of customized configuration files in appropriate combination to be read under real DOS mode on booting, such files including:

(a) claim 11 with customized entries as specified in claims 12, 14, 15, 16 and 17 in appropriate combination;

(b) claim 18 with customized entries as specified in claims 19 to 25 in appropriate combination where claim 21 is applicable to Microsoft Windows 95/98 only; and

(c) claim 26 with customized entries as specified in claims 27 to 38 in appropriate combination where claims 27 and 28 are applicable to Microsoft Windows ME only and claim 30 is applicable to Microsoft Windows 95/98 only;

9. The said steps of claim 2 comprising the step to the effect of copying or transferring:

(a) files selected if and as appropriate from files provided by Microsoft for setting up a running image of Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME or from files of a running image of Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME (in the case of Microsoft Windows ME, including IO.SYS, COMMAND.COM and REGENV32.EXE, which have been enabled to allow access to real DOS mode in the booting process); and

/or

(b) the customized copy of configuration files as specified in claims 11, 18 and 26 in appropriate combination; and

/or

(c) the customized copy of configuration files as specified in claims 44, 45, 46, 47 and 48 in appropriate combination; and

/or

(d) the file folders, Desktop and Start Menu, and all the files and sub-file folders within these two file folders of the installed Windows directory; and

/or

(e) ramdisk driver(s), storage device driver(s), and virtual container drive driver(s) in appropriate combination; and

/or

(f) programmes for reading, writing and utilizing ramdisk(s), storage medium/media and virtual container drive(s) and programmes for copying or transferring files in appropriate combination to valid locations of virtual container drive(s) (virtual container drive being defined as a computer file or file container that is readable, writeable, mountable and recognizable as a compatible drive wherein the files so contained are accessible for use by Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME), including and acting as, as appropriate as the case may be, System Drive, Configuration Drive and other types of User Drives if any that have been created on or are subsequently copied or transferred to storage medium, which can be recognized as logical drive(s) and can be used in the booting process by the booting device of a computer system or device capable of running Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME so that System Drive (in the form of virtual container drive) is accessible for the purpose of copying or transfer onto ramdisk and mounting up; and

Configuration Drive and other User Drive(s), if any, stored on non-volatile rewriteable storage medium is/are accessible under real DOS mode booting for use in starting the ramdisk-based Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME into protected WINDOWS mode;

10. The said steps of claim 2 comprising the step to effect of copying or transferring

(a) IO.SYS and COMMAND.COM (which have been enabled to allow access to real DOS mode in the booting process in the case of Microsoft Windows ME), as well as HIMEM.SYS and IFSHLP.SYS in the case of Microsoft Windows 95/98 or IFSHLP.SYS in the case of Microsoft Windows ME;

(b) the customized copy of configuration files as specified in claims 11, 18 and 26 in appropriate combination; and

(c) ramdisk driver(s), storage device driver(s), virtual container drive driver(s);

programme(s) for reading, writing and utilizing ramdisk(s), storage medium/media and virtual container drive(s); and

programme(s) for copying or transferring files in appropriate combination to storage medium/media wherein they are placed in valid location(s) of logical drive(s) that can be recognized and used in the booting process by the booting device of a computer system or device capable of running Microsoft Windows 95/98 /ME;

12. The said copy of MSDOS.SYS of claim 11 containing customized entry of WinDir= pointing to the location of system files of Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME on ramdisk;

13. The said copy of MSDOS.SYS of claim 11 containing customized entry of WinBootDir= pointing to the booting directory, the location of WIN.COM, on ramdisk for running protected-mode ramdisk-based Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME in Contained Style;

14. The said copy of MSDOS.SYS of claim 11 containing customized entry of WinBootDir= pointing to the booting directory, the location of WIN.COM, on non-volatile rewriteable storage medium for running protected-mode ramdisk-based Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME in Split Style;

15. The said copy of MSDOS.SYS of claim 11 containing customized entry of HostWinBootDrv= pointing to the ramdisk hosting System Drive, the virtual container drive containing system files of Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME, or to the actual booting drive as found appropriate;

16. The said copy of MSDOS.SYS of claim 11 containing customized entry of DisableLog= being set to 1 for disabling the creation of BOOTLOG.TXT on booting up if found appropriate;

17. The said copy of MSDOS.SYS of claim 11 containing customized entry of SystemReg= being set to 0 for disabling the scanning of system registry if found appropriate;

19. The said copy of CONFIG.SYS of claim 18 containing customized entry of LastDrive= to specify the last available drive letter, thus the number of available drives for use, so as to provide for the inclusion of ramdisk(s), virtual container drive(s) and/or storage device(s) as appropriate;

for maximizing the number of available drives, setting it to Z;

20. The said copy of CONFIG.SYS of claim 18 containing customized entry of SET PATH= to facilitate locating programmes for utilizing devices, including ramdisk device(s) and/or storage device(s) and/or virtual container drive device(s);

and/or to facilitate locating other programmes for execution, in particular programmes for copying or transferring files and programmes for loading and utilizing device driver(s), SUBST.EXE and WIN.COM;

21. The said copy of CONFIG.SYS of claim 18 containing customized entry of Device= or DeviceHigh= to accommodate the inclusion and loading of HIMEM.SYS in case of Microsoft Windows 95/98;

22. The said copy of CONFIG.SYS of claim 18 containing customized entry of Device= or DeviceHigh= to accommodate the inclusion and loading of IFSHLP.SYS;

23. The said copy of CONFIG.SYS of claim 18 containing customized entry or entries of Device= and/or DeviceHigh= to accommodate the inclusion and loading of ramdisk device driver(s);

24. The said copy of CONFIG.SYS of claim 18 containing customized entry or entries of Device= and/or DeviceHigh= to accommodate the inclusion and loading of storage device driver(s);

25. The said copy of CONFIG.SYS of claim 18 containing customized entry or entries of Device= and/or DeviceHigh= to accommodate the inclusion and loading of virtual container drive driver(s);

27. The said copy of AUTOEXEC.BAT of claim 26 containing customized entry of SET windir= pointing to the directory of the WinDir= setting in MSDOS.SYS;

28. The said copy of AUTOEXEC.BAT of claim 26 containing customized entry of SET winbootdir= pointing to the directory of WinBootDir= setting in MSDOS.SYS;

29. The said copy of AUTOEXEC.BAT of claim 26 containing customized entry of PATH or PATH= to facilitate locating programmes for utilizing devices, including ramdisk device(s) and/or storage device(s) and/or virtual container drive device(s);

and/or to facilitate locating other programmes for execution, in particular programmes for copying or transferring files and programmes for loading and utilizing device driver(s), SUBST.EXE and WIN.COM.

30. The said copy of AUTOEXEC.BAT of claim 26 containing customized entry for executing programme for loading HIMEM.SYS in case of Microsoft Windows 95/98;

31. The said copy of AUTOEXEC.BAT of claim 26 containing customized entry for executing programme for loading IFSHLP.SYS;

32. The said copy of AUTOEXEC.BAT of claim 26 containing customized entry or entries for executing programme(s) for loading and utilizing ramdisk device driver(s);

33. The said copy of AUTOEXEC.BAT of claim 26 containing customized entry or entries for executing programme(s) for loading and utilizing storage device driver(s);

34. The said copy of AUTOEXEC.BAT of claim 26 containing customized entry or entries for executing programme(s) for loading and utilizing virtual container drive driver(s);

35. The said copy of AUTOEXEC.BAT of claim 26 containing customized entry or entries for executing programme(s) for copying or transferring virtual container drive(s) and/or other files onto ramdisk;

36. The said copy of AUTOEXEC.BAT of claim 26 containing customized entry or entries for executing programme(s) mounting and utilizing virtual container drive(s);

37. The said copy of AUTOEXEC.BAT of claim 26 containing customized entry or entries for executing SUBST.EXE;

38. The said copy of AUTOEXEC.BAT of claim 26 containing customized entry for executing WIN.COM;

57. A method of booting off the customized running image of files copied or transferred to storage medium/media so produced as specified in claim 2 under real DOS mode into protected WINDOWS mode on ramdisk;

wherein the booting process, through executing computer-executable programme(s) or computer-executable instruction(s), including but not limited to using the customized configuration files as specified in claims 11, 18 and 26 in appropriate combination and the customized configuration files as specified in claims 44, 45, 46, 47 and 48 in appropriate combination, executes the steps as specified in claims 58 to 64 as appropriate to the effect that the ramdisk-based Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME runs into protected WINDOWS mode with System Drive on ramdisk and Configuration Drive on non-volatile rewriteable storage medium;

61. The step to the effect of copying or transferring from the storage medium System Drive, a virtual container drive, so produced as specified in claim 9 to ramdisk;

62. The step to the effect of mounting or making available for use the virtual container drive so copied or transferred to ramdisk as specified in claim 61 so that its contents are accessible for use under real DOS mode;

18. A customized copy of CONFIG.SYS containing customized entries for running protected-mode ramdisk-based Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME;

26. A customized copy of AUTOEXEC.BAT containing customized entries for running protected-mode ramdisk-based Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME;