Universal imaging utility program

• US 7,512,833 B1
• Filed: 08/18/2005
• Issued: 03/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Big Bang LLC
• Original Assignee: Adam C. Murphy
• Inventors: Brazille, Jeremy C., Murphy, Adam C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bonzo; Bryce P
• Application Number:
  US11/206,533
• Time in Patent Office: 1,321 Days
• Field of Search: 714/1, 714/2, 714/5, 717174-178
• US Class Current: 714/6.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order

Abstract

A method and program for setting up a Master computer for imaging a computer hard drive from one hardware platform to a second, dissimilar hardware platform is disclosed. The program will be deployed onto a first computer. The program strips down the operating system files, hardware driver files, and registry settings of the computer to a very basic level, and resets certain system files, driver files, and registry settings. The Master computer may then be cloned or imaged onto a second computer without the second computer crashing. The program allows cloning and conversion between computers, even if the computers are different models or are made by different manufacturers.

Claims

1. A method for cloning an operating system from a first computer having a hard drive containing an operating system, the method comprising:

generating a minimum basic functional level configuration of the operating system by;

stripping at least one driver file, system file or registry setting from the operating system; and

resetting at least one driver file, system file or registry setting;

wherein the minimum basic functional level configuration is bootable on a plurality of different computer hardware configurations;

further wherein generating the minimum basic functional level configuration of the operating system is performed on an operating system currently running on the first computer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein generating the minimum basic functional level configuration is performed by a universal imaging utility program installed on the first computer.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein stripping a driver file, system file or registry setting and resetting the stripped driver file, system file or registry setting comprises replacing a first driver file, system file or registry setting with a second driver file, system file or registry setting.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein resetting at least one driver file, system file or registry setting comprises setting the configuration and power management setting of the first computer to the simplest level required for bootability of the minimum basic functional level configuration on the plurality of computers having different hardware configurations.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising deploying the minimum basic functional level configuration from the first computer to a plurality of target computers, wherein the plurality of target computers have a plurality of hardware configurations that differ from the hardware configuration of the first computer.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein generating the minimum basic functional level configuration does not use any information regarding any target computer.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising updating one or more of the following:

an ACPI driver file of the minimum basic functional level configuration on the first computer;

or

a hard drive driver file of the minimum basic functional level configuration on the first computer.

8. A method for cloning an operating system from a first computer having a hard drive containing an operating system, the method comprising:

installing a preparatory program onto the first computer;

configuring the operating system with the preparatory program, wherein configuring the operating system with the preparatory program comprises configuring target paths and search paths of the operating system;

generating a minimum basic functional level configuration of the operating system by;

stripping at least one driver file, system file or registry setting from the operating system; and

resetting at least one driver file, system file or registry setting;

wherein the minimum basic functional level configuration is bootable on a plurality of different computer hardware configurations.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein generating the minimum basic functional level configuration of the operating system is performed on an operating system currently running on the first computer.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein generating the minimum basic functional level configuration is performed by a universal imaging utility program installed on the first computer.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein generating the minimum basic functional level configuration is performed by a universal imaging utility program installed on the first computer.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein stripping a driver file, system file or registry setting and resetting the stripped driver file, system file or registry setting comprises replacing a first driver file, system file or registry setting with a second driver file, system file or registry setting.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein resetting at least one driver file, system file or registry setting comprises setting the configuration and power management setting of the first computer to the simplest level required for bootability of the minimum basic functional level configuration on the plurality of computers having different hardware configurations.

14. The method of claim 8 further comprising deploying the minimum basic functional level configuration from the first computer to a plurality of target computers, wherein the plurality of target computers have a plurality of hardware configurations that differ from the hardware configuration of the first computer.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein generating the minimum basic functional level configuration does not use any information regarding any target computer.

16. The method of claim 8 further comprising updating one or more of the following:

an ACPI driver file of the minimum basic functional level configuration on the first computer;

or

a hard drive driver file of the minimum basic functional level configuration on the first computer.

17. A method for cloning an operating system from a first computer having a hard drive containing an operating system, the method comprising:

generating a minimum basic functional level configuration of the operating system by;

stripping at least one driver file, system file or registry setting from the operating system; and

resetting at least one driver file, system file or registry setting;

wherein the minimum basic functional level configuration is bootable on a plurality of different computer hardware configuration;

wherein generating the minimum basic functional level configuration is performed by a universal imaging utility program installed on the first computer.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein stripping a driver file, system file or registry setting and resetting the stripped driver file, system file or registry setting comprises replacing a first driver file, system file or registry setting with a second driver file, system file or registry setting.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein resetting at least one driver file, system file or registry setting comprises setting the configuration and power management setting of the first computer to the simplest level required for bootability of the minimum basic functional level configuration on the plurality of computers having different hardware configurations.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising deploying the minimum basic functional level configuration from the first computer to a plurality of target computers, wherein the plurality of target computers have a plurality of hardware configurations that differ from the hardware configuration of the first computer.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein generating the minimum basic functional level configuration does not use any information regarding any target computer.

22. The method of claim 17 further comprising updating one or more of the following:

an ACPI driver file of the minimum basic functional level configuration on the first computer;

or

a hard drive driver file of the minimum basic functional level configuration on the first computer.

23. A computer program product for generating a minimum basic functional level configuration of an operating system running on a computer, wherein the minimum basic functional level configuration is crash-resistant and bootable on a plurality of different computer hardware configurations, the computer program product comprising:

a machine-readable storage medium; and

computer program instructions stored within the machine-readable storage medium configured to cause the computer to perform;

generating the minimum basic functional level configuration of the operating system by;

stripping at least one driver file, system file or registry setting from the operating system; and

resetting at least one driver file, system file or registry setting;

wherein generating the minimum basic functional level configuration of the operating system is performed on an operating system currently running on the computer.

24. A computer program product for generating a minimum basic functional level configuration of an operating system running on a computer, wherein the minimum basic functional level configuration is crash-resistant and bootable on a plurality of different computer hardware configurations, the computer program product comprising:

a machine-readable storage medium; and

computer program instructions stored within the machine-readable storage medium configured to cause the computer to perform;

configuring the operating system with a preparatory program installed on the computer, wherein configuring the operating system with the preparatory program comprises configuring target paths and search paths of the operating system; and

generating a minimum basic functional level configuration of the operating system by;

stripping at least one driver file, system file or registry setting from the operating system; and

resetting at least one driver file, system file or registry setting.

25. A computer program product for generating a minimum basic functional level configuration of an operating system running on a computer, wherein the minimum basic functional level configuration is crash-resistant and bootable on a plurality of different computer hardware configurations, the computer program product comprising:

a machine-readable storage medium; and

computer program instructions stored within the machine-readable storage medium configured to cause the computer to perform;

generating the minimum basic functional level configuration of the operating system by;

stripping at least one driver file, system file or registry setting from the operating system; and

resetting at least one driver file, system file or registry setting;

wherein generating the minimum basic functional level configuration is performed by a universal imaging utility program installed on the computer.