Method and system of dynamic video driver selection on a bootable CD

• US 20030105947A1
• Filed: 12/03/2001
• Published: 06/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Powell, Paul Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 6,993,643 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers

Abstract

A method, system, and program product for enabling selection of appropriate, available resources for a hardware component of a data processing system during system boot via a read only medium. The method comprises various steps including first initiating a boot process from the read only medium on the data processing system. The type of hardware component is then detected and, responsive to the detection of a specific component type, an object of a symlink file located on RAM is dynamically set to reflect the particular resource required for optimal operation of the hardware component. A symlink file located on the read only medium points to and triggers the activation of the symlink file on RAM. The first symlink file on RAM points to and selects the particular resource set as its object from among multiple available resources located on the read only medium. The selected resource is utilized to support the hardware component during operation of the data processing system.

Claims

1. A system for enabling selection of appropriate, available resources for a hardware component of a data processing system during system boot via a read only medium, said system comprising:

means for detecting a type of said hardware component;

means, responsive to said detecting step, for dynamically setting an object of a second symlink file to a particular resource required for a correct operation of said type of said hardware component;

means for triggering the activation of said second symlink file;

means, responsive to said triggering step, for selecting, via said second symlink file, a resource that corresponds to said object of said second symlink file from among multiple available resources located on said read only medium; and

means for implementing said selected resource to support said hardware component during operation of said data processing system.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for first initiating a boot process from said read only medium on said data processing system; and

means for creating said second symlink file on a RAM of said data processing system subsequent to said detecting step, wherein said second symlink file is provided with the capability to receive a trigger and respond to the receipt of said trigger by pointing to a particular resource file on said read only medium that supports said hardware component.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said triggering means includes means for executing a first symlink file on said read only medium, wherein said first symlink file has said second symlink file as its object.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said hardware component is a video driver.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said resource is an XServer, and said selecting means selects a particular XServer from among a plurality of XServers, wherein said selected XServer is a preferred XServer for the particular type of said video driver.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said selected XServer has a particular configuration file that is preferred, said system further comprising:

means for creating a third symlink file on said RAM;

means for determining which configuration file is preferred for said selected XServer from among multiple configuration files available for selection on said read only medium;

means, responsive to said determining step, for setting an object of said third symlink file to said particular configuration file; and

means for activating an execution of said third symlink file, wherein said particular configuration file is selected for said XServer during operation of said particular type of hardware component.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein said resource is a configuration file, and said selecting means selects a particular configuration file from among a plurality of configuration files located on said read only medium, wherein a selected configuration file is a preferred configuration file for said type of said hardware component.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein said resource comprises a particular XServer and a particular configuration file, wherein:

said creating means creates a third symlink file on said RAM;

said dynamically setting means includes means for dynamically setting a first object of a second symlink file located on a RAM of said data processing system to a particular XServer and dynamically setting a second object of a third symlink file to a particular configuration file, both required for a correct operation of said hardware component;

said selecting means includes means for respectively selecting said XServer and said configuration file from among multiple available XServers and configuration files located on said read only medium that corresponds to said first object and said second object, respectively; and

said implementing means, implements said selected XServer and configuration file to support said hardware component during operation of said data processing system.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said read only medium is a CD ROM and said first symlink file is boot CD symlink file.

10. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium;

program code on said computer readable medium for enabling selection of appropriate, available resources for a hardware component of a data processing system during system boot via a read only medium, said program code comprising code for;

detecting a type of said hardware component;

responsive to said detecting step, dynamically setting an object of a second symlink file to a particular resource required for a correct operation of said type of said hardware component;

triggering the activation of said second symlink file;

responsive to said triggering step, selecting, via said second symlink file, a resource that corresponds to said object of said second symlink file from among multiple available resources located on said read only medium; and

implementing said selected resource to support said hardware component during operation of said data processing system.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising program code for:

first initiating a boot process from said read only medium on said data processing system; and

creating said second symlink file on a RAM of said data processing system subsequent to said detecting step, wherein said second symlink file is provided with the capability to receive a trigger and respond to the receipt of said trigger by pointing to a particular resource file on said read only medium that supports said hardware component.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein said program code for triggering includes code for executing a first symlink file on said read only medium, wherein said first symlink file has said second symlink file as its object.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein said hardware component is a video driver, said resource is an XServer, and said program code for selecting includes code that selects a particular XServer from among a plurality of XServers, wherein said selected XServer is a preferred XServer for the particular type of said video driver.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein said selected XServer has a particular configuration file that is preferred, said computer program product further comprising program code for:

creating a third symlink file on said RAM;

determining which configuration file is preferred for said selected XServer from among multiple configuration files available for selection on said read only medium;

responsive to said determining step, setting an object of said third symlink file to said particular configuration file; and

activating an execution of said third symlink file, wherein said particular configuration file is selected for said XServer during operation of said particular type of hardware component.

15. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein said resource is a configuration file, and said program code for selecting includes code that selects a particular configuration file from among a plurality of configuration files located on said read only medium, wherein a selected configuration file is a preferred configuration file for said type of said hardware component.

16. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein said resource comprises a particular XServer and a particular configuration file, wherein:

said program code for creating creates a third symlink file on said RAM;

said program code for dynamically setting includes code for dynamically setting a first object of a second symlink file located on a RAM of said data processing system to a particular XServer and dynamically setting a second object of a third symlink file to a particular configuration file, both required for a correct operation of said hardware component;

said program code for selecting includes code for respectively selecting said XServer and said configuration file from among multiple available XServers and configuration files located on said read only medium that corresponds to said first object and said second object, respectively; and

said program code for implementing implements said selected XServer and configuration file to support said hardware component during operation of said data processing system.

17. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein said computer readable medium is a CD ROM and said first symlink file is a boot CD symlink file.

18. A method for enabling selection of appropriate, available resources for a hardware component of a data processing system during system boot via a read only medium, said method comprising:

detecting a type of said hardware component;

responsive to said detecting step, dynamically setting an object of a second symlink file to a particular resource required for a correct operation of said type of said hardware component;

triggering the activation of said second symlink file;

responsive to said triggering step, selecting, via said second symlink file, a resource that corresponds to said object of said second symlink file from among multiple available resources located on said read only medium; and

implementing said selected resource to support said hardware component during operation of said data processing system.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

first initiating a boot process from said read only medium on said data processing system; and

creating said second symlink file on a RAM of said data processing system subsequent to said detecting step, wherein said second symlink file is provided with the capability to receive a trigger and respond to the receipt of said trigger by pointing to a particular resource file on said read only medium that supports said hardware component.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said triggering step includes executing a first symlink file on said read only medium, wherein said first symlink file has said second symlink file as its object.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said hardware component is a video driver, said resource is an XServer, and said selecting step selects a particular XServer from among a plurality of XServers, wherein said selected XServer is a preferred XServer for the particular type of said video driver.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein said selected XServer has a particular configuration file that is preferred, said method further comprising:

creating a third symlink file on said RAM;

determining which configuration file is preferred for said selected XServer from among multiple configuration files available for selection on said read only medium;

responsive to said determining step, setting an object of said third symlink file to said particular configuration file; and

activating an execution of said third symlink file, wherein said particular configuration file is selected for said XServer during operation of said particular type of hardware component.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein said resource is a configuration file, and said selecting step selects a particular configuration file from among a plurality of configuration files located on said read only medium, wherein a selected configuration file is a preferred configuration file for said type of said hardware component.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein said resource comprises a particular XServer and a particular configuration file, wherein:

said creating step creates a third symlink file on said RAM;

said dynamically setting step includes dynamically setting a first object of a second symlink file located on a RAM of said data processing system to a particular XServer and dynamically setting a second object of a third symlink file to a particular configuration file, both required for a correct operation of said hardware component;

said selecting step includes respectively selecting said XServer and said configuration file from among multiple available XServers and configuration files located on said read only medium that corresponds to said first object and said second object, respectively; and

said implementing step implements said selected XServer and configuration file to support said hardware component during operation of said data processing system.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein said computer readable medium is a CD ROM and said first symlink file is a boot CD symlink file.