Computer system with PC cards and method of booting the same

• US 6,453,414 B1
• Filed: 07/23/1999
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Ryu, Chang-Hyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Heckler, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US09/360,113
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 715/1, 715/2
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4406 Loading of operating system

Abstract

A computer system with a PC card and a booting method of the same is described and which includes bootable configuration by loading a boot record from a nonvolatile memory of the PC card. If the PC card is installed in a personal computer memory card international association(PCMCIA) adapter, the computer system loads a boot record from the PC card to a memory and performs system booting, then. As a result, when a plurality of users use a computer, system environments required by the user are loaded from a PC card, thereby conveniently setting a system environment. Moreover, the boot record is loaded from the PC card, the system booting is performed to have a system security function.

Claims

1. A personal computer memory card international association (PCMCIA) card for a notebook computer system, said PCMCIA card comprises:

a nonvolatile memory;

a boot record stored in said nonvolatile memory;

a system file for setting initial conditions for said notebook computer in said nonvolatile memory;

a file for setting the personal preferences or environment for said notebook computer in said nonvolatile memory; and

a user identification and a user password stored in said nonvolatile memory.

2. The PCMCIA card of claim 1, wherein said boot record comprises:

a data segment storing hardware configuration of said notebook computer system; and

an executable code segment.

3. A method for booting a computer system with a PC card, comprising the steps of:

determining whether said PC card is installed in said computer system;

determining whether a boot record is included in a nonvolatile memory of said PC card, when said PC card is installed therein; and

setting a system environment with reference to said boot record, when there is said boot record in said PC card.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

determining whether a user identification code is stored in said nonvolatile memory of said PC card, when said PC card is installed in said computer system; and

replacing user password input as said user identification code, when said user identification code is stored in said PC card.