Method and system of dynamic video driver selection on a bootable CD via symbolic links

• US 6,993,643 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2001
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Powell, Paul Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Browne, Lynne H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHEN, TSE W
• Application Number:
  US10/007,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20030105947A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,520 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers

Abstract

A method, system, and program product for enabling selection of appropriate, available resources for a hardware component of a data processing system during system boot via a read only medium. The method comprises various steps including first initiating a boot process from the read only medium on the data processing system. The type of hardware component is then detected and, responsive to the detection of a specific component type, an object of a symlink file located on RAM is dynamically set to reflect the particular resource required for optimal operation of the hardware component. A symlink file located on the read only medium points to and triggers the activation of the symlink file on RAM. The first symlink file on RAM points to and selects the particular resource set as its object from among multiple available resources located on the read only medium. The selected resource is utilized to support the hardware component during operation of the data processing system.

Claims

1. A computer system for enabling selection of appropriate, available resources for a hardware component of a data processing system, said computer system comprising code that when executed on the computer system provides:

means for detecting a type of said hardware component during system boot of the data processing system via a read only medium (ROM);

means for dynamically creating a RAM symlink file on a RAM of said data processing system, wherein said RAM symlink file includes functionality for responding to a receipt of an activation trigger by pointing to a selected resource file on said read only medium that enables correct operation of said type of said hardware component;

means for dynamically selecting the resource file on the ROM from among multiple available resources located on said ROM and setting an object of the RAM symlink file to the selected resource file;

means for triggering the activation of said RAM symlink file using a ROM symlink file on said read only medium, wherein the ROM symlink file is pre-programmed with the address of the RAM symlink file as its object and said ROM symlink file is executed during said system boot via the ROM to trigger/activate its object file, which is the RAM symlink file;

means, responsive to receipt of the activation from the ROM symlink file by the RAM symlink file, for selecting, via said RAM symlink file, the object of the RAM symlink file which object is the selected resource;

means for linking said selected resource to support said hardware component during operation within said data processing system;

wherein said selected resource has a particular configuration file that is preferred and said RAM and ROM symlink files are first and second symlink files, respectively, said system further comprising code that when executed provides;

means for creating a third symlink file on said RAM;

means for determining which configuration file is preferred for said selected resource from among multiple configuration files available for selection on said ROM;

means, responsive to the determination of a preferred configuration file, for setting an object of said third symlink file to said preferred configuration file; and

means for activating an execution of said third symlink file, wherein said preferred configuration file is selected for said resource during operation of said particular type of hardware component.

2. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising code that when executed on the computer system provides means for first initiating a boot process from said read only medium on said data processing system.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said hardware component is a video driver and said resource is an Xserver, and said selecting means selects a particular XServer from among a plurality of XServers, wherein said selected XServer is a preferred XServer for the particular type of said video driver.

4. The computer system of claim 3, wherein said selected XServer has a particular configuration file that is preferred, said computer system further comprising code that when executed provides:

means for creating a third symlink file on said RAM;

means for determining which particular configuration file is preferred for said selected XServer from among multiple configuration flies available for selection on said read only medium;

means, responsive to the determination of a particular configuration file, for setting an object of said third symlink file to said particular configuration file; and

means for activating an execution of said third symlink file, wherein said particular configuration file is selected for said XServer during operation of said particular type of hardware component.

5. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said resource is a configuration file, and said selecting means selects a particular configuration file from among a plurality of configuration files located on said read only medium, wherein a selected configuration file is a preferred configuration file for said type of said hardware component.

6. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said resource comprises a particular XServer and a particular configuration file, wherein:

said creating means creates a third symlink file on said RAM;

said dynamically setting means includes means for dynamically setting a first object of the RAM symlink file to the particular XServer and dynamically setting a second object of the third symlink file to the particular configuration file, both required for a correct operation of said hardware component;

said selecting means includes means for respectively selecting said particular XServer and said particular configuration file from among multiple available XServers and configuration files located on said read only medium that corresponds to said first object and said second object, respectively; and

said linking means links said selected XServer and configuration file to support said hardware component during operation of said data processing system.

7. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said read only medium is a CD ROM and said ROM symlink file is a boot CD symlink file.

8. A computer program product comprising:

a tangible computer readable medium;

program code on said tangible computer readable medium for enabling selection of appropriate, available resources for a hardware component of a data processing system during system boot via a read only medium, said program code comprising code for;

detecting a type of said hardware component during system boot of the data processing system via the read only medium (ROM);

dynamically creating a RAM symlink file on a RAM of said data processing system, wherein said RAM symlink file includes functionality for responding to a receipt of an activation trigger by pointing to a selected resource file on said read only medium that enables correct operation of said type of said hardware component;

dynamically selecting the resource file on the ROM from among multiple available resources located on said ROM and setting an object of the RAM symlink file to the selected resource file;

triggering the activation of said RAM symlink file using a ROM symlink file on said read only medium, wherein the ROM symlink file is pre-programmed with the address of the RAM symlink file as its object and said ROM symlink file is executed during said system boot via the ROM to trigger/activate its object file, which is the RAM symlink file;

responsive to receipt of the activation from the ROM symlink file by the RAM symlink file selecting, via said RAM symlink file, the object of the RAM symlink file which object is the selected resource;

linking said selected resource to support said hardware component during operation within said data processing system;

wherein said selected resource has a particular configuration file that is preferred and said RAM and ROM symlink files are first and second symlink files, respectively, said program code further comprising code for;

creating a third symlink file on said RAM;

determining which configuration file is preferred for said selected resource from among multiple configuration files available for selection on said ROM;

responsive to the determination of a preferred configuration file, setting an object of said third symlink file to said preferred configuration file; and

activating an execution of said third symlink file, wherein said preferred configuration file is selected for said resource during operation of said particular type of hardware component.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising program code for:

first initiating a boot process from said read only medium on said data processing system.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein said hardware component is a video driver, said resource is an XServer, and said program code for selecting includes code that selects a particular XServer from among a plurality of XServers, wherein said selected XServer is a preferred XServer for the particular type of said video driver.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein said selected XServer has a particular configuration file that is preferred, said computer program product further comprising program code for:

creating a third symlink file on said RAM;

determining which particular configuration file is preferred for said selected XServer from among multiple configuration files available for selection on said read only medium;

responsive to said determining step, setting an object of said third symlink file to said particular configuration file; and

activating an execution of said third symlink file, wherein said particular configuration file is selected for said XServer during operation of said particular type of hardware component.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein said resource is a configuration file, and said program code for selecting includes code that selects a particular configuration file from among a plurality of configuration files located on said read only medium, wherein a selected configuration file is a preferred configuration file for said type of said hardware component.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein said resource comprises a particular XServer and a particular configuration file, wherein:

said program code for creating creates a third symlink file on said RAM;

said program code for dynamically setting includes code for dynamically setting a first object of the RAM symlink file to the particular XServer and dynamically setting a second object of the third symlink file to the particular configuration file, both required for a correct operation of said hardware component;

said program code for selecting includes code for respectively selecting said particular XServer and said particular configuration file from among multiple available XServers and configuration files located on said read only medium that corresponds to said first object and said second object, respectively; and

said program code for linking links said selected Xserver and configuration file to support said hardware component during operation of said data processing system.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein said read only medium is a CD ROM and said ROM symlink file is a boot CD symlink file.

15. A method for enabling selection of appropriate, available resources for a hardware component of a data processing system during system boot via a read only medium, said method comprising:

detecting a type of said hardware component during system boot of the data processing system via the read only medium (ROM);

dynamically creating a RAM symlink file on a RAM of said data processing system, wherein said RAM symlink file includes functionality for responding to a receipt of an activation trigger by pointing to a selected resource file on said read only medium that enables correct operation of said type of said hardware component;

dynamically selecting the resource file on the ROM from among multiple available resources located on said ROM and setting an object of the RAM symlink file to the selected resource file;

triggering the activation of said RAM symlink file using a ROM symlink file on said read only medium, wherein the ROM symlink file is pre-programmed with the address of the RAM symlink file as its object and said ROM symlink file is executed during said system boot via the ROM to trigger/activate its object file, which is the RAM symlink file;

responsive to receipt of the activation from the ROM symlink file by the RAM symlink file selecting, via said RAM symlink file, the object of the RAM symlink file which object is the selected resource;

linking said selected resource to support said hardware component during operation within said data processing system;

wherein said selected resource has a particular configuration file that is preferred and said RAM and ROM symlink files are first and second symlink files, respectively, said method further comprising;

creating a third symlink file on said RAM;

determining which configuration file is preferred for said selected resource from among multiple configuration files available for selection on said ROM;

responsive to the determination of a preferred configuration file, setting an object of said third symlink file to said preferred configuration file; and

activating an execution of said third symlink file, wherein said preferred configuration file is selected for said resource during operation of said particular type of hardware component.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

first initiating a boot process from said read only medium on said data processing system.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said hardware component is a video driver, said resource is an XServer, and said selecting step selects a particular XServer from among a plurality of XServers, wherein said selected XServer is a preferred XServer for the particular type of said video driver.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said selected XServer has a particular configuration file that is preferred, said method further comprising:

creating a third symlink file on said RAM;

determining which particular configuration file is preferred for said selected XServer from among multiple configuration files available for selection on said read only medium;

responsive to said determining step, setting an object of said third symlink file to said particular configuration file; and

activating an execution of said third symlink file, wherein said particular configuration file is selected for said XServer during operation of said particular type of hardware component.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said resource is a configuration file, and said selecting step selects a particular configuration file from among a plurality of configuration files located on said read only medium, wherein a selected configuration file is a preferred configuration file for said type of said hardware component.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein said resource comprises a particular XServer and a particular configuration file, wherein:

said creating step creates a third symlink file on said RAM;

said dynamically setting step includes dynamically setting a first object of the RAM symlink file to the particular XServer and dynamically setting a second object of the third symlink file to the particular configuration file, both required for a correct operation of said hardware component;

said selecting step includes respectively selecting said particular XServer and said particular configuration file from among multiple available XServers and configuration files located on said read only medium that corresponds to said first object and said second object, respectively; and

said linking step links said selected XServer and configuration file to support said hardware component during operation of said data processing system.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein said read only medium is a CD ROM and said ROM symlink file is a boot CD symlink file.