Recoverable software installation process and apparatus for a computer system

• US 6,247,126 B1
• Filed: 01/25/1999
• Issued: 06/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Beelitz, Alan E., Amberg, Richard D.
• Primary Examiner(s): BUTLER, DENNIS
• Application Number:
  US09/236,862
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/2, 711/170, 711/173
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1433 during software upgrading
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4416 Network booting; Remote initial program loading [RIPL]

Abstract

A software installation process for use in the manufacture of a prescribed computer system includes the steps of providing at least one processor, at least one memory, and an interface for connecting the computer system to a network server. The at least one memory includes a master boot record, a utility partition and a primary partition. The utility partition includes manufacturing code particular to a manufacturing sequence in the manufacture of the computer system. The primary partition further includes file allocation tables and a root directory. Upon booting of the computer system, the manufacturing code is executed by the at least one processor, wherein the manufacturing sequence includes at least a downloading of software from the network server to the primary partition. The manufacturing code further includes instructions for clearing the file allocation tables and the root directory of the primary partition upon the occurrence of an interruption in the downloading of software from the network server and instructions for enabling the software download to be restarted without reformatting and repartitioning of the at least one memory.

Claims

1. A software installation process for use in the manufacture of a prescribed computer system, said method comprising the steps of:

providing at least one processor, providing at least one memory, the at least one memory having a master boot record, a utility partition and a primary partition, wherein the utility partition includes manufacturing code particular to a manufacturing sequence in the manufacture of the computer system; and

providing an interface for connecting the computer system to a network server, wherein upon booting of the computer system, the manufacturing code is executed by the at least one processor, the manufacturing sequence including at least a downloading of software from the network server to the primary partition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

the master boot record includes a master partition table having a first descriptor corresponding to the utility partition and a second descriptor corresponding to the primary partition, wherein the first descriptor includes an active partition flag field and an invalid partition type field and the second descriptor includes an inactive partition flag field and a valid partition type field, and the primary partition includes a partition boot record particular to a target operating system of the computer system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein

the manufacturing code further includes instructions for changing the invalid partition type field of the first descriptor into a valid type field and for mapping the utility partition to a virtual A:

drive and the primary partition to a logical C;

drive.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein

the manufacturing code further includes instructions for changing the valid partition type field of the first descriptor back into an invalid type field subsequent to mapping the utility partition to the virtual A:

drive and the primary partition to the logical C;

drive.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein

the primary partition further includes file allocation tables and a root directory, and wherein the manufacturing code further includes instructions for clearing the file allocation tables and the root directory of the primary partition upon the occurrence of an interruption in the downloading of software from the network server and instructions for enabling the software download to be restarted without reformatting and repartitioning of the at least one memory.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the primary partition further includes files, and wherein the manufacturing code further includes instructions for clearing the files of the primary partition upon the occurrence of an interruption in the downloading of software from the network server.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the manufacturing sequence further includes testing.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the manufacturing code further includes instructions for storing a manufacturing sequence status in the utility partition and instructions for updating the manufacturing sequence status as each of the software download and testing are completed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory includes a disk drive.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory includes a hard disk drive.

11. A software installation process for use in the manufacture of a prescribed computer system, said method comprising the steps of:

providing at least one processor,

providing at least one memory, the at least one memory having a master boot record, a utility partition and a primary partition, wherein the utility partition includes manufacturing code particular to a manufacturing sequence in the manufacture of the computer system; and

providing an interface for connecting the computer system to a network server, wherein upon booting of the computer system, the manufacturing code is executed by the at least one processor, the manufacturing sequence including at least a downloading of software from the network server to the primary partition, wherein

the master boot record includes a master partition table having a first descriptor corresponding to the utility partition and a second descriptor corresponding to the primary partition, wherein the first descriptor includes an active partition flag field and an invalid partition type field and the second descriptor includes an inactive partition flag field and a valid partition type field, and the primary partition includes a partition boot record particular to a target operating system of the computer system, wherein

the manufacturing code further includes instructions for changing the invalid partition type field of the first descriptor into a valid type field and for mapping the utility partition to a virtual A;

drive and the primary partition to a logical C;

drive, and wherein

the primary partition further includes file allocation tables and a root directory, and wherein the manufacturing code further includes instructions for clearing the file allocation tables and the root directory of the primary partition upon the occurrence of an interruption in the downloading of software from the network server and instructions for enabling the software download to be restarted without reformatting and repartitioning of the at least one memory.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the primary partition further includes files, and wherein the manufacturing code further includes instructions for clearing the files of the primary partition upon the occurrence of an interruption in the downloading of software from the network server.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the manufacturing sequence further includes testing.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the manufacturing code further includes instructions for storing a manufacturing sequence status in the utility partition and instructions for updating the manufacturing sequence status as each of the software download and testing are completed.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one memory includes a hard disk drive.

16. A computer system for carrying out a software installation in the manufacture thereof, said computer system comprising:

at least one processor,

at least one memory, said at least one memory having a master boot record, a utility partition and a primary partition, wherein the utility partition includes manufacturing code particular to a manufacturing sequence in the manufacture of said computer system; and

an interface for connecting said computer system to a network server, wherein upon booting of said computer system, the manufacturing code is executed by said at least one processor, the manufacturing sequence including at least a downloading of software from the network server to the primary partition.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein

the master boot record includes a master partition table having a first descriptor corresponding to the utility partition and a second descriptor corresponding to the primary partition, wherein the first descriptor includes an active partition flag field and an invalid partition type field and the second descriptor includes an inactive partition flag field and a valid partition type field, and the primary partition includes a partition boot record particular to a target operating system of said computer system.

18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein

the manufacturing code further includes instructions for changing the invalid partition type field of the first descriptor into a valid type field and for mapping the utility partition to a virtual A:

drive and the primary partition to a logical C;

drive.

19. The computer system of claim 18, wherein

the manufacturing code further includes instructions for changing the valid partition type field of the first descriptor back into an invalid type field subsequent to mapping the utility partition to the virtual A:

drive and the primary partition to the logical C;

drive.

20. The computer system of claim 17, wherein

the primary partition further includes file allocation tables and a root directory, and wherein the manufacturing code further includes instructions for clearing the file allocation tables and the root directory of the primary partition upon the occurrence of an interruption in the downloading of software from the network server and instructions for enabling the software download to be restarted without reformatting and repartitioning of said at least one memory.

21. The computer system of claim 20, wherein the primary partition further includes files, and wherein the manufacturing code further includes instructions for clearing the files of the primary partition upon the occurrence of an interruption in the downloading of software from the network server.

22. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the manufacturing sequence further includes testing.

23. The computer system of claim 22, wherein the manufacturing code further includes instructions for storing a manufacturing sequence status in the utility partition and instructions for updating the manufacturing sequence status as each of the software download and testing are completed.

24. The computer system of claim 16, wherein said at least one memory includes a disk drive.

25. The computer system of claim 16, wherein said at least one memory includes a hard disk drive.

26. A computer system for carrying out a software installation in the manufacture thereof, said computer system comprising:

at least one processor,

at least one memory, said at least one memory having a master boot record, a utility partition and a primary partition, wherein the utility partition includes manufacturing code particular to a manufacturing sequence in the manufacture of the computer system; and

an interface for connecting said computer system to a network server, wherein upon booting of said computer system, the manufacturing code is executed by said at least one processor, the manufacturing sequence including at least a downloading of software from the network server to the primary partition, wherein

the master boot record includes a master partition table having a first descriptor corresponding to the utility partition and a second descriptor corresponding to the primary partition, wherein the first descriptor includes an active partition flag field and an invalid partition type field and the second descriptor includes an inactive partition flag field and a valid partition type field, and the primary partition includes a partition boot record particular to a target operating system of the computer system, wherein

the manufacturing code further includes instructions for changing the invalid partition type field of the first descriptor into a valid type field and for mapping the utility partition to a virtual A;

drive and the primary partition to a logical C;

drive, and wherein

the primary partition further includes file allocation tables and a root directory, and wherein the manufacturing code further includes instructions for clearing the file allocation tables and the root directory of the primary partition upon the occurrence of an interruption in the downloading of software from the network server and instructions for enabling the software download to be restarted without reformatting and repartitioning of said at least one memory.

27. The computer system of claim 26, wherein the primary partition further includes files, and wherein the manufacturing code further includes instructions for clearing the files of the primary partition upon the occurrence of an interruption in the downloading of software from the network server.

28. The computer system of claim 26, wherein the manufacturing sequence further includes testing.

29. The computer system of claim 28, wherein the manufacturing code further includes instructions for storing a manufacturing sequence status in the utility partition and instructions for updating the manufacturing sequence status as each of the software download and testing are completed.

30. The computer system of claim 26, wherein said at least one memory includes a hard disk drive.