Method and software tool for intelligent operating system installation

• US 20040015955A1
• Filed: 11/29/2000
• Published: 01/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bourke-Dunphy, Erin M., Fitzgerald, Paul R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,185,334 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4406 Loading of operating system

Abstract

A software tool and method are provided for performing a setup operation in a computer system. The software tool comprises a setup component adapted to sense an attribute associated with the computer system and to selectively provide one of standard prompting and special prompting to a user according to the attribute, and a user interface component adapted to render a plurality of setup prompts to a user and to obtain at least one setup parameter. The invention advantageously provides for customized user prompting according to the system attribute whereby one or more prompt screens may be suppressed and default setup parameters used where the attribute indicates that the prompt screens are unnecessary. Moreover, one or more additional prompt screens may be rendered to the user according to the attribute.

Claims

1. A software tool for installing a software component on a computer system, comprising:

a user interface component adapted to render a plurality of setup prompts to a user and to obtain a user command; and

a setup component adapted to selectively install the software component on the computer system according to the user command, to sense an attribute associated with the computer system and to selectively provide at least one setup prompt to the user interface component according to the attribute.

2. The software tool of claim 1, wherein the setup component is adapted to selectively suppress at least one setup prompt from the user interface component if the attribute indicates the at least one setup prompt is unnecessary.

3. The software setup tool of claim 2, wherein the at least one setup prompt comprises a selection between at least two setup parameters, and wherein the setup component is adapted to select one of the at least two setup parameters according to the attribute.

4. The software setup tool of claim 3, wherein the setup component is adapted to selectively install the software component on the computer system using the selected one of the at least two setup parameters.

5. The software setup tool of claim 4, wherein the attribute comprises data stored in the computer system.

6. The software tool of claim 5, wherein the data comprises a registry key.

7. The software tool of claim 6, wherein the software component comprises one of an operating system and an application.

8. The software tool of claim 7, wherein the software component comprises a plurality of program components, and wherein the setup component is adapted to selectively install at least one of the plurality of program components according to the attribute.

9. The software tool of claim 1, wherein the at least one setup prompt comprises a selection between at least two setup parameters, and wherein the setup component is adapted to select one of the at least two setup parameters according to the attribute.

10. The software setup tool of claim 9, wherein the setup component is adapted to selectively install the software component on the computer system using the selected one of the at least two setup parameters.

11. The software setup tool of claim 10, wherein the attribute comprises a registry key.

12. The software tool of claim 11, wherein the software component comprises one of an operating system and an application.

13. The software tool of claim 12, wherein the software component comprises a plurality of program components, and wherein the setup component is adapted to selectively install at least one of the plurality of program components according to the attribute.

14. A software setup tool for performing a setup operation in a computer system, comprising:

a setup component adapted to sense an attribute associated with the computer system and to selectively provide one of standard prompting and special prompting to a user according to the attribute; and

a user interface component adapted to render a plurality of setup prompts to a user and to obtain at least one setup parameter.

15. The software setup tool of claim 14, wherein the setup component is further adapted to selectively perform at least one setup operation according to the at least one setup parameter and the attribute.

16. The software setup tool of claim 15, wherein the attribute comprises a registry key.

17. The software setup tool of claim 16, wherein the setup component is further adapted to selectively suppress at least one setup prompt from the user interface component if the attribute indicates the at least one setup prompt is unnecessary.

18. The software setup tool of claim 17, wherein the at least one setup prompt comprises a selection between at least two setup parameters, and wherein the setup component is adapted to select one of the at least two setup parameters according to the attribute.

19. The software setup tool of claim 18, wherein the setup component is adapted to selectively install a software component on the computer system using the selected one of the at least two setup parameters.

20. The software setup tool of claim 16, wherein the setup component is adapted to one of render at least one additional setup prompt to the user according to the attribute, and render at least one substitute setup prompt to the user according to the attribute

21. A method of performing a setup operation in a computer system, comprising:

sensing an attribute associated with the computer system; and

selectively providing one of standard prompting and special prompting to a user in association with the setup operation according to the attribute.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein selectively providing one of standard prompting and special prompting comprises:

rendering a plurality of setup prompts to a user; and

obtaining at least one setup parameter.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising selectively performing at least one setup operation according to the at least one setup parameter and the attribute.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the attribute comprises a registry key.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein providing special prompting comprises one of suppressing at least one setup prompt from the user interface component if the attribute indicates the at least one setup prompt is unnecessary, rendering at least one additional setup prompt to the user interface, and rendering at least one substitute setup prompt to the user interface.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the at least one setup prompt comprises a selection between at least two setup parameters and wherein suppressing at least one setup prompt from the user interface component comprises selecting one of the at least two setup parameters according to the attribute.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein selectively performing at least one setup operation comprises selectively installing a software component on the computer system using the selected one of the at least two setup parameters.

28. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for:

sensing an attribute associated with the computer system; and

selectively providing one of standard prompting and special prompting to a user in association with the setup operation according to the attribute.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the computer-executable instructions for selectively providing one of standard prompting and special prompting comprises computer-executable instructions for:

rendering a plurality of setup prompts to a user; and

obtaining at least one setup parameter.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, further comprising computer-executable instructions for selectively performing at least one setup operation according to the at least one setup parameter.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the computer-readable instructions for sensing an attribute associated with the computer system attribute comprises computer-readable instructions for sensing a registry key.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein the computer-readable instructions for providing special prompting comprises computer-readable instructions for one of suppressing at least one setup prompt from the user interface component if the attribute indicates the at least one setup prompt is unnecessary and rendering at least one additional setup prompt to the user interface.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the at least one setup prompt comprises a selection between at least two setup parameters and wherein the computer-readable instructions for suppressing at least one setup prompt from the user interface component comprises computer-readable instructions for selecting one of the at least two setup parameters according to the attribute.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 33, wherein the computer-readable instructions for selectively performing at least one setup operation comprises computer-readable instructions for selectively installing a software component on the computer system using the selected one of the at least two setup parameters.

35. A software tool for performing a setup operation in a computer system, comprising:

means for sensing an attribute associated with the computer system; and

means for selectively providing one of standard prompting and special prompting to a user in association with the setup operation according to the attribute.

36. The software tool of claim 35, wherein the means for selectively providing one of standard prompting and special prompting comprises:

means for rendering a plurality of setup prompts to a user; and

means for obtaining at least one setup parameter.

37. The software tool of claim 36, wherein the attribute comprises a registry key.

38. The software tool of claim 37 wherein the means for providing special prompting comprises means for one of suppressing at least one setup prompt from the user interface component if the attribute indicates the at least one setup prompt is unnecessary and rendering at least one additional setup prompt to a user interface.

39. A data packet adapted to be transmitted between at least two processes, comprising:

a setup component adapted to sense an attribute associated with the computer system and to selectively provide one of standard prompting and special prompting to a user according to the attribute; and

a user interface component adapted to render a plurality of setup prompts to a user and to obtain at least one setup parameter.