Method of Converting Personal Computers Into Thin Client Computers

• US 20110055535A1
• Filed: 08/27/2009
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Devon IT Incorporated (Devon International Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Devon IT Incorporated (Devon International Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Verdy, Stephane, Geiser, Ian
• Granted Patent: US 8,185,729 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/575 Secure boot
• 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 system repurposes a personal computer operating with a conventional personal computer operating system, such as Windows® operating system, into a thin client computer system without requiring that the hard drive of the personal computer be re-formatted to remove the previous operating system. The personal computer has its boot loader configuration file edited to include a call to a thin client boot loader file to execute the thin client operating system stored on the personal computer hard drive instead of the previous operating system of the personal computer. The repurposed personal computer can be returned to the previous operating system by electing to bypass the thin client operating system. As a thin client computer, the repurposed personal computer is managed from a central server and can access applications and data on remote servers instead of using the application programs on the hard drive or the capability of storing data on the personal computer hard drive.

Claims

1. A method of converting a personal computer having an initial operating system stored into a memory device on said personal computer, into a thin client computer that is operatively connected to a server computer to be centrally managed, comprising the steps of:

loading repurposing software onto said personal computer, including a thin client operating system in parallel with said initial operating system;

editing a boot file on said personal computer to insert a command to access a thin client operating system before executing commands to load said initial operating system; and

operating said personal computer as a thin client computer that can be managed centrally.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said operating step prevents said personal computer from accessing any application files and any said preexisting data files on said memory device.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of:

providing a elective option to boot said personal computer into said initial operating system.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said thin client operating system is a default operating system for said personal computer.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said editing step inserts a command into a configuration file of said initial operating system.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said loading step stores executable code, binaries and libraries of said thin client operating system onto said memory device without erasing existing files on said memory device.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said loading step is accomplished without requiring a partitioning of said memory device.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said loading step is accomplished by said server computer loading files on said personal computer.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said loading step is accomplished by directly placing said repurposing software onto said personal computer.

10. A method of extending an effective operative life of a personal computer having an initial operating system stored into a hard drive on said personal computer by converting said personal computer into a thin client computer that is operatively connected to a server computer to be centrally managed from said server computer, comprising the steps of:

storing executable code, binaries and libraries of a thin client operating system onto said hard drive without erasing existing files on said hard drive;

editing a configuration file of said initial operating system to insert a command executes a boot sequence for said thin client operating system before executing commands to load said initial operating system; and

operating said personal computer as a thin client computer that is centrally managed by said server computer.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said thin client operating system is stored on said hard drive in parallel with said initial operating system.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said operating step prevents said personal computer from accessing application files and data files on said hard drive.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said thin client operating system is a default operating system for said personal computer.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said loading step is accomplished without requiring a partitioning of said memory device.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of:

providing a elective option to boot said personal computer into said initial operating system.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein said loading step is accomplished by said server computer loading files on said personal computer.

17. A method of repurposing personal computers operating under an initial PC operating system into a thin client operating system to operate as a thin client computer that that is operatively connected to a server computer to be centrally managed, comprising the steps of:

booting said personal computer using said initial PC operating system;

editing a boot loader file in said initial PC operating system to add a command to access a thin client configuration file before said personal computer is booted into said initial PC operating system;

loading thin client executable files, said thin client configuration file, thin client binaries and thin client libraries onto a hard drive on said personal computer in parallel with said initial PC operating system; and

re-booting said personal computer to convert said personal computer into a thin client computer.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said loading step is accomplished without erasing any existing files on said hard drive and without requiring said hard drive to be partitioned.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of:

providing a elective option to boot said personal computer into said initial operating system.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said thin client operating system is a default operating system for said personal computer.