Method and apparatus for fast boot of an operating system

• US 20070112899A1
• Filed: 11/14/2005
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Original Assignee: Ardence, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Inventors: Edwards, Matthew, Underwood, Daron
• Application Number:
  US11/273,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20070112899A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4418 Suspend and resume; Hibernate and awake

Abstract

A computer system is adapted for rapid booting to any one of plural contexts such as that of a desktop application or television application. The system may be booted to an initial state in one context by reading a write-protected hibernate file into RAM and registers. The system may be initialized into another context by means of that hibernate file in conjunction with a difference file.

Claims

1. A method of booting a data processing system comprising:

providing plural state files in nonvolatile memory for restoring the system to respective states corresponding to plural processing applications; and

during booting of the system, selecting state file based a selected application in which the system is to operate.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein an state file is stored as a difference file relative to a base state file.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the base state file is stored in a hibernate files accessed during booting of the system.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein applications to be selected include a desktop application and a television application.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising protecting the state files against being overwritten during processing.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plural state files are provided by a system software installer.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a state file is selected based on user input during startup.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a state file is selected based on user input during prior processing.

9. A data processing system comprising:

plural state files in nonvolatile memory for restoring the system to respective states corresponding to plural processing applications; and

booting software that selects a state file based on a selected application in which the system is to operate.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein a state file is stored as a difference file relative to a base state file.

11. A system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the base state file is stored in a hibernate files accessed during booting of the system.

12. A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein applications to be selected include a desktop application and a television application.

13. A system as claimed in claim 9, further wherein the state files are protected against being overwritten during processing.

14. A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the plural state files are provided by a system software installer.

15. A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein a state file is selected based on user input during startup.

16. A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein a state file is selected based on user input during prior processing.

17. A method of initializing a data processing system, comprising:

saving in nonvolatile memory a base state file for a base system state;

saving in nonvolatile memory a difference file relative to the base state file for a different system state; and

booting to the different system state by steering the system to the difference file and base state file to place volatile memory at an initial state.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the state files are stored in hibernate files accessed during booting of the system.

19. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the system is steered based on a selected context.

20. A method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising protecting the state files against being overwritten during processing.

21. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the base state file and difference are provided by a system software installer.

22. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the system is booted to a system state based on a selected application.

23. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein a state file is selected based on user input during startup.

24. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein a state file is selected based on user input during prior processing.

25. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein a difference file is stored based on system state during processing.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein a difference file is replaced during system processing.

27. A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein a difference files is added during system processing.

28. A method as claimed in claim 17 further comprising saving plural selectable difference files.

29. A data processing system comprising:

a base state file stored in nonvolatile memory for a base system state;

a difference file relative to the base state file stored in nonvolatile memory for a different system state; and

a booting system to boot to the different system state by steering the system to the difference file and base state file to place volatile memory at an initial state.

30. A system as claimed in claim 29, wherein the base state file is stored in a hibernate file accessed during booting of the system.

31. A system as claimed in claim 29, wherein the system is steered based on a selected context.

32. A system as claimed in claim 29, wherein the state files are protected against being overwritten during processing.

33. A system as claimed in claim 29, wherein the base state file and difference file are provided by a system software installer.

34. A system as claimed in claim 29, wherein the system is booted to a system state based on a selected application.

35. A system as claimed in claim 29, wherein a difference file is selected based on user input during startup.

36. A system as claimed in claim 29, wherein a difference file is selected based on user input during prior processing.

37. A system as claimed in claim 29, wherein a difference file is stored based on system state during processing.

38. A system as claimed in claim 37, wherein a difference file is replaced during system processing.

39. A system as claimed in claim 37, wherein a difference file is added during system processing.

40. A system as claimed in claim 29 further comprising plural selectable difference files stored in nonvolatile memory.