Providing an image of installed software utilizing uninstall code

• US 7,343,600 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2003
• Issued: 03/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Novak, Joshua N., Waltermann, Rod D. W., Weksler, Arnold, Fuccella-Walcutt, Michaelle L., Locker, Howard J., Estroff, Jeffrey M., Hunt, James A., Mese, John C., Ruiz, Jose R., Caliendo, Neal R. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): INGBERG, TODD D
• Application Number:
  US10/642,890
• Publication Number:
  US 20050044096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,667 Days
• Field of Search: 717/136, 717/146, 717/124, 717/106, 717/175, 712/4, 713/179, 713/181, 713/176, 713/187, 713/188, 726/16, 726/21, 726/17, 726/26
• US Class Current: 717/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A method for providing an image of software installed on a computer system is disclosed. The method includes the steps of deconstructing the image into at least one portion and creating at least one module from the at least one portion of the image. The deconstructing step can include the steps of scanning an image and identifying at least one portion of the image to be modularized. The creating step can include the steps of extracting the at least one portion of the image identified to be modularized and generating at least one module from the extracted portion of the image. The modules that are created in accordance with the present invention can be formatted for use in a new image or part of a new image to be used with a software program such as with a hardware-independent imaging tool. Furthermore, the modules can be used with hardware-independent technologies and can facilitate management of image inventory and facilitate deployment of images to new computer systems with different hardware configurations. Furthermore, the method is simple, cost effective and capable of being easily adapted to existing technology.

Claims

1. A method for providing an image of software installed on a computer system, the method comprising:

deconstructing the image into at least one portion;

creating at least one module from the at least one portion of the image utilizing information, wherein the information is selected from a group consisting of install information and uninstall information; and

formatting the at least one module for use in a new image or at least a portion of a new image.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the deconstructing the image further comprises:

scanning the image; and

identifying at least one portion of the image to be modularized.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the identifying at least one portion comprises:

providing a list of portions of the image to be modularized; and

selecting at least one portion of the image to be modularized.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one portion of the image represents at least one software program.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the at least one software program is hardware independent.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one portion of the image represents a plurality of software programs.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the plurality of software programs comprises a combination of hardware-independent and hardware-dependent software programs.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the creating at least one module further comprises:

extracting the at least one portion of the image; and

generating the at least one module from the extracted portion of the image.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the extracted portion of the image comprises uninstall scripts.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the generating at least one module comprises:

scanning the uninstall scripts; and

generating install scripts from the uninstall scripts.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the generating install scripts comprises:

reversing the order of the uninstall scripts;

determining uninstall scripts from the uninstall scripts; and

configuring a portion of the install scripts.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the software program is hardware-independent application software.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the hardware-independent application software is a hardware-independent imaging tool.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the module is hardware independent.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the creating at least one module further comprises creating a plurality of modules from the at least one portion of the image.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the plurality of modules comprises a combination of hardware-independent and hardware-dependent modules.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one portion of the image comprises an operating system and code, wherein the code is selected from a group consisting of a set of drivers, a set of utilities and application software.

18. A computer-readable storage medium including a computer program for providing an image of software installed on a computer system, comprising instructions for:

deconstructing the image into at least one portion;

creating at least one module from the at least one portion of the image utilizing information, wherein the information is selected from a group consisting of install information and uninstall information; and

formatting the at least one module for use in a new image or at least a portion of a new image.

19. The medium of claim 18 wherein the deconstructing the image further comprises:

scanning the image; and

identifying the at least one portion of the image to be modularized.

20. The medium of claim 19 wherein the identifying at least one portion comprises:

providing a list of portions of the image to be modularized; and

selecting the at least one portion of the image to be modularized.

21. The medium of claim 18 wherein the at least one portion of the image represents at least one software program.

22. The medium of claim 21 wherein the at least one software program is hardware independent.

23. The medium of claim 18 wherein the at least one portion of the image represents a plurality of software programs.

24. The medium of claim 23 wherein the plurality of software programs comprises a combination of hardware-independent and hardware-dependent software programs.

25. The medium of claim 18 wherein the creating at least one module further comprises:

extracting the at least one portion of the image; and

generating at least one module from the extracted portion of the image.

26. The medium of claim 25 wherein the extracted portion of the image comprises uninstall scripts.

27. The medium of claim 26 wherein the generating at least one module comprises the:

scanning the uninstall scripts; and

generating install scripts from the uninstall scripts.

28. The medium of claim 27 wherein the generating install scripts comprises:

reversing the order of the uninstall scripts;

determining install scripts from the uninstall scripts; and

configuring a portion of the install scripts.

29. The medium of claim 18 wherein the software program is a hardware-independent application software.

30. The medium of claim 29 wherein the hardware-independent application software is a hardware-independent imaging tool.

31. The medium of claim 18 wherein the module is hardware independent.

32. The medium of claim 18 wherein the creating at least one module further comprises creating a plurality of modules from the at least one portion of the image.

33. The medium of claim 32 wherein the plurality of modules comprises a combination of hardware-independent and hardware-dependent modules.

34. The medium of claim 18 wherein the at least one portion of the image comprises an operating system and code, wherein the code is selected from a group consisting of a set of drivers, a set of utilities and application software.

35. A computer-readable storage medium including a compute program for providing an image of software installed on a computer system, comprising instructions for:

deconstructing the image into at least one portion;

creating the at least one module from the at least one portion of the image utilizing uninstall code; and

formatting the at least one module for use in at least a portion of a new image.

36. The medium of claim 35 wherein the at least one portion of the image comprises an operating system and code, wherein the code is selected from a group consisting of a set of drivers, a set of utilities and application software.

37. A system comprising:

a storage medium; and

a processing system coupled to the storage medium, the processing system including a mechanism for deconstructing an image into at least one portion;

creating at least one module from at least one portion of the image utilizing information wherein the information is selected from a group consisting of install information and uninstall information; and

formatting the at least one module for use in a new image or at least a portion of a new image.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the deconstructing the image comprises:

scanning the image; and

identifying at least one portion of the image to be modularized.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein the identifying at least one portion comprises:

providing a list of portions of the image to be modularized; and

selecting at least one portion of the image to be modularized.

40. The system of claim 37 wherein the at least one portion of the image represents at least one software program.

41. The system of claim 40 wherein the at least one software program is hardware independent.

42. The system of claim 37 wherein the at least one portion of the image represents a plurality of software programs.

43. The system of claim 42 wherein the plurality of software programs comprises a combination of hardware-independent and hardware-dependent software programs.

44. The system of claim 37 wherein the creating at least one module further comprises:

extracting the at least one portion of the image; and

generating the at least one module from the extracted portion of the image.

45. The system of claim 44 wherein the extracted portion of the image comprises uninstall scripts.

46. The system of claim 45 wherein the generating at least one module comprises:

scanning the uninstall scripts; and

generating install scripts from the uninstall scripts.

47. The system of claim 46 wherein the generating install scripts comprises:

reversing the order of the uninstall scripts;

determining the uninstall scripts from the uninstall scripts; and

configuring a portion of the install scripts.

48. The system of claim 37 wherein the software program is hardware-independent application software.

49. The system of claim 48 wherein the hardware-independent application software is a hardware-independent imaging tool.

50. The system of claim 37 wherein the module is hardware independent.

51. The system of claim 37 wherein the creating at least one module further comprises creating a plurality of modules from the at least one portion of the image.

52. The system of claim 37 wherein the plurality of modules comprises a combination of hardware-independent and hardware-dependent modules.

53. The system of claim 37 wherein the at least one portion of the image comprises an operating system and code, wherein the code is selected from a group consisting of a set of drivers, a set of utilities and application software.

54. A system comprising:

a storage medium; and

a processing system coupled to the storage medium, the processing system including a mechanism for deconstructing an image into at least one portion;

creating at least one module from the at least one portion of the image utilizing uninstall code; and

formatting the at least one module for use in a new image or at least a portion of a new image.

55. The system of claim 54 wherein the at least one portion of the image comprises an operating system and code, wherein the code is selected from a group consisting of a set of drivers, a set of utilities and application software.