Method of installing software on and/or testing a computer system

• US 6,279,155 B1
• Filed: 01/26/1999
• Issued: 08/21/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Lynch, Michael, Amberg, Richard D., Wong, Roger
• Primary Examiner(s): Powell, Mark R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): INGBERG, TODD D
• Application Number:
  US09/237,758
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 710/104, 717/11
• US Class Current: 717/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/28 by checking the correct order of processing G06F11/08 - G06F11/26 take precedence; monitoring patterns of pulse trains H03K5/19
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3696 Methods or tools to render software testable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order

Abstract

A method of installing software on and/or testing a computer system includes providing a step sequence having a plurality of software installation and/or testing steps to be executed in an order determined by the step sequence, and reading and executing consecutive steps from the step sequence. The method further includes updating, in respect of each step which is executed, a file with data relating to the current status of the installation and/or testing, and, prior to the execution of each step, determining from the file if that step is properly the next consecutive step in the step sequence.

Claims

1. A method of installing software on a computer system, comprising:

providing a step sequence including a plurality of software installation steps to be executed in an order determined by the step sequence;

reading and executing consecutive steps from the step sequence; and

prior to the execution of each step, reading a directory list of all files in a local drive of the computer system executing the step sequence into a memory of said computer system.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

prior to the execution of each step, disabling a control-break to prevent an operator breaking out of the step sequence to bypass a step.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein providing a step sequence comprises:

reading a plurality of component descriptors from a computer readable file, each component descriptor describing a respective component of the computer system;

reading a plurality of steps from a database, each step being associated with a component descriptor and including a respective sequence number; and

sequencing the plurality of steps in a predetermined order according to the sequence numbers to provide the step sequence.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

writing the step sequence to a non volatile storage media configured to accompany the computer system during manufacture.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step sequence is adapted to provide for commands repeatable for a defined length of time.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step sequence is adapted to provide for commands repeatable for a defined number of iterations.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, comprising:

updating, in respect of each step which is executed, a progress file with data relating to the current status of the software installation; and

prior to the execution of each step, determining from the file if that step is properly the next consecutive step in the step sequence.

8. A method as defined in claim 7 wherein the progress file contains the line number in the step sequence of the last step executed and the command executed at that step.

9. A method of testing a computer system comprising:

providing a step sequence including a plurality of software installation steps to be executed in an order determined by the step sequence;

reading and executing consecutive steps from the step sequence; and

prior to execution of each step, reading a directory list of all files on a local drive of the computer system executing the step sequence into a memory of said computer system.