Method of testing computer system with hard disk

• US 6,418,541 B1
• Filed: 08/22/1997
• Issued: 07/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jeon, Young-Il
• Primary Examiner(s): WRIGHT, NORMAN M
• Application Number:
  US08/916,340
• Time in Patent Office: 1,782 Days
• Field of Search: 395/183.12, 395/183.01, 395/651, 395/652, 395/497.01, 395/497.04, 714/721, 714/222, 714/36, 709/221
• US Class Current: 714/36
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4406 Loading of operating system

Abstract

A method of testing a computer system includes the steps of partitioning a physically formatted hard disk to define a whole region of the hard disk as a first partition region and a part of the first partition region as a second partition region, setting the second partition region as a boot driver, installing a test program file in the second partition region to form an original hard disk, testing the computer system using the test program file in the second partition region, erasing the second partition region overlapped with part of the first partition region, and setting the first partition region as a boot driver region. To substantially test the computer system, the program files which are installed on the first and second partition regions of the original hard disk are duplicated on other hard disks with a disk duplicating apparatus. The hard disks thus duplicated are established in computer systems, respectively. If the computer system with the duplicated hard disk is powered, it is booted with an operation program installed in the second partition region. Then, the computer system executes the test program and starts to test whether or not it is operating normally. At the completion of this test, the second partition region is erased and then the first partition region is set as a boot driver region.

Claims

1. A method of testing a computer system with a hard disk which is physically formatted, comprising the steps of:

defining a whole region of said hard disk as a first partition region;

installing a plurality of program files necessary for operations of said computer system in said first partition region;

partitioning said hard disk to define a part of said first partition region as a second partition region, said second partition region being overlapped with part of said first partition region;

setting said second partition region as a boot driver region;

installing said program files in said second partition region;

re-booting said computer system using said second partition region;

installing a test program file in said second partition region to form an original hard disk;

testing said computer system using said test program file in said second partition region;

erasing said second partition region overlapped with said first partition region; and

setting said first partition region as a boot driver region.

2. The method according to claim 1, the step of defining said first partition region comprising partitioning said hard disk to use said whole region of said hard disk as said first partition region, and logically formatting said first partition region.

3. The method according to claim 1, the step of installing said plurality of program files necessary for the operations of said computer system comprising installing an operating system in said first partition region, installing a plurality of device drivers in said first partition region and installing a plurality of application programs in said first partition region.

4. The method according to claim 1, the step of partitioning said hard disk to define said second partition region comprising detecting a starting position of areas where data is not stored on said hard disk, and setting said starting position as a starting position of said second partition region.

5. The method according to claim 1, the step of partitioning said hard disk to define said second partition region comprising setting a starting position of said second partition region by a user.

6. The method according to claim 1, the step of re-booting said computer system being performed in accordance with an operating system located in said second partition region.

7. The method according to claim 1, the step of installing said test program file in said second partition region comprising duplicating said plurality of program files installed in said first partition region into said second partition region.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of duplicating, after installing said test program file in said second partition region, said program files of said original hard disk on a plurality of other hard disks to form a plurality of duplicated hard disks, and establishing one of said duplicated hard disks in a computer system.

9. A method of testing a computer system with a hard disk which is physically formatted, comprising the steps of:

partitioning said hard disk to define a whole region of said hard disk, as a first partition region and a part of said first partition region as a second partition region, said second partition region being overlapped with part of said first partition region;

installing a plurality of program files necessary for operations of said computer system in said first partition region;

setting said second partition region as a boot driver;

installing said program files in said second partition region;

re-booting said computer system using said second partition region;

installing a test program file in said second partition region to form an original hard disk;

testing said computer system using said test program file in said second partition region;

erasing said second partition region overlapped with said first partition region; and

setting said first partition region as a boot driver region.

10. The method according to claim 9, the step of partitioning said hard disk comprising detecting a starting position of areas where data is not stored on said hard disk, and setting said starting position as a starting position of said second partition region.

11. The method according to claim 9, the step of partitioning said hard disk to define said second partition region comprising setting a starting position of said second partition region by a user.

12. The method according to claim 9, the step of installing said test program file in said second partition region comprising duplicating said plurality of program files installed in said first partition region into said second partition region.

13. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of duplicating, after installing said test program file in said second partition region, said program files of said original hard disk on a plurality of other hard disks to form a plurality of duplicated hard disks, and establishing one of said duplicated hard disks in a computer system.

14. A method of testing a computer system with a hard disk which is physically formatted, comprising the steps of:

partitioning said hard disk to define a whole region of said hard disk as a first partition region and a part of said first partition region as a second partition region, said second partition region being overlapped with part of said first partition region;

sequentially installing a plurality of program files necessary for operations of said computer system in said first and second partition regions;

setting said second partition region as a boot driver;

re-booting said computer system using said second partition region;

installing a test program file in said second partition region to form an original hard disk;

testing said computer system using said test program file in said second partition region;

erasing said second partition region overlapped with said first partition region; and

setting said first partition region as a boot driver region.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the steps of duplicating, after installing said test program file in said second partition region, said program files of said original hard disk on a plurality of other hard disks to form a plurality of duplicated hard disks, and establishing one of said duplicated hard disks in a computer system.