Software installation in multiple operating systems

• US 20070011672A1
• Filed: 07/06/2005
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bhide, Manish, Kalantri, Atul
• Granted Patent: US 7,950,008 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/441 Multiboot arrangements, i.e. selecting an operating system to be loaded

Abstract

A software application can be installed under one operating system, and accessed for execution by a second operating system compatible with the first operating system by identifying and making appropriate changes to system parameters in the second operating system. The two operating systems may be installed on the same of different machines. A record can be made of changes in system parameters that are made upon installation of the software application in the first operating system as a basis for making appropriate changes in the system parameters of the second operating system to allow the software application to be accessed for execution from the second operating system.

Claims

1. A method for executing a software application installed on different operating systems comprising:

identifying changes in system parameters in a first operating system made upon installing a software application in said first operating system;

changing system parameters in a second operating system to be compatible with the first operating system based upon the changes in system parameters in the first operating system; and

accessing the software application for execution in the second operating system.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising storing a first record of system parameters of the first operating system before installing the software application.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising installing a software application in the first operating system.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising storing a second record of system parameters of the first operating system subsequent to installing the software application.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the changes in the system parameters are identified by comparing the first record and the second record.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first operating system and the second operating system are bootable from different computer systems.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising mapping a drive of a first machine which hosts the first operating system machine and the software application, onto the drive of a second machine from which the software application is to be accessed for execution.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first operating system and second operating system are bootable from one computer system.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first operating system and second operating system are different versions of the same operating system.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising maintaining a record of changes to the system parameters made in the second operating system.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising reversing recorded changes to the system parameters made in the second operating system.

12. A method for executing a software application installed on different operating systems comprising:

identifying from a set of operating systems compatible with a first operating system, a second operating system from which a software application installed on the first operating system is to be executed; and

changing system parameters in the second operating system based upon changes in system parameters of the first operating system relating to installation of the software application on the first operating system;

wherein changes made to the system parameters in the second operating system allow the software application to be accessed in the first operating system for execution in the second operating system.

15. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising storing a first record of system parameters of the first operating system before installing the software application.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising installing a software application in the first operating system.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising storing a second record of system parameters of the first operating system subsequent to installing the software application.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the changes in the system parameters are identified by comparing the first record and the second record.

19. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first operating system and the second operating system are bootable from different computer systems.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19, further comprising mapping a drive of a first machine which hosts the first operating system machine and the software application, onto the drive of a second machine from which the software application is to be accessed for execution.

13. A computer program product comprising:

a storage medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions readable by a computer system and executable by said computer system for implementing a method of;

identifying from a set of operating systems compatible with a first operating system, a second operating system from which a software application installed on the first operating system is to be executed; and

changing system parameters in the second operating system based upon changes in system parameters of the first operating system relating to installation of the software application on the first operating system;

wherein changes made to the system parameters in the second operating system allow the software application to be accessed in the first operating system for execution in the second operating system.

14. A computer system comprising:

a processor for executing software instructions;

a memory for storing software instructions;

a system bus coupling the memory and the processor; and

a storage medium recording software instructions that are loadable to the memory for implementing the method of;

identifying from a set of operating systems compatible with a first operating system, a second operating system from which a software application installed on the first operating system is to be executed; and

changing system parameters in the second operating system based upon changes in system parameters of the first operating system relating to installation of the software application on the first operating system;

wherein changes made to the system parameters in the second operating system allow the software application to be accessed in the first operating system for execution in the second operating system.