Self-repairing computing device and method of monitoring and repair

• US 7,571,353 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2006
• Issued: 08/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vir2us, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Vir2us, Inc.
• Inventors: More, Anthony B., Largman, Kenneth, Blair, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): McCarthy; Christopher S
• Application Number:
  US11/358,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20060143530A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 714/23, 714/36, 714/57, 713/2, 713/100
• US Class Current: 714/36
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1417 Boot up procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1446 Point-in-time backing up or restoration of persistent data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1456 Hardware arrangements for backup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1458 Management of the backup or restore process
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/575 Secure boot

Abstract

The invention may backup, maintain backups, or recover data associated with a computing system. The computing system may include any number of components including hardware and software, and any memory accessible to the computing system. The computing system may focus on a user computing system and potentially the supporting environment which stabilizes the functionality of the user computing system (e.g., operating system, BIOS, etc.). Typically data associated with the computing system is identified by a variety of characteristics, the data is stored as a backup, and subsequently data within the backup may be restored or used to evaluate an existing computing system.

Claims

1. A method for a computing device repairing itself to operation after initiating booting from a first boot device disposed within a main computing device hardware box of the computing device, the method comprising the computer-executed steps of:

in response to receiving a signal in the computing device indicating a need for repair of the computing device during the booting from the first boot device or during any operating state, booting from a second boot device;

the second boot device storing software installed on said second boot device at anytime prior to booting from the second boot device;

protecting at least a portion of the software on the second boot device from further modification after installation;

the second boot device being physically present with the computing device prior to receiving the signal indicating a need for repair; and

repairing software stored on the first boot device while operating from the second boot device and selectively either;

(i) maintaining operation of the computing device from the second boot device to restore operation of the computing device during repairing of the software on the first boot device, or (ii) changing to operation of the computing device from the second boot device to the first boot device after the software has been repaired to restore operation of the computing device;

wherein the signal is generated by at least one of;

(i) by a user altering the state of a physical switch different from an on-off switch of the computing device and exposed on an exterior surface of the computing device, or (ii) automatically generated by the computing device after detecting a need for a repair; and

the step of protecting the second boot device comprising one of;

(a) switching the second boot device to a state of unavailability; and

(b) switching the second boot device to a read only state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein before the step of repairing software the following step is performed;

offering the user a choice of thoroughness of repair.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of repairing software comprises:

automatically repairing software on the first boot device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of automatically repairing software comprises:

automatically repairing software on the first boot device without further direction from the user.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of automatically repairing software comprises:

repairing software on the first boot device according to preset preferences.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the repairing according to preset preferences comprises repairing according to whether:

to recover data;

to run a virus check;

to reformat the first boot device;

to revert to a backup;

or

to run diagnostics.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of repairing software comprises:

reformatting the first boot device; and

copying software onto the first boot device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of repairing software comprises:

resetting parameters in a persistent memory; and

copying software onto the first boot device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

directing a user to re-boot from the first boot device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein before the step of booting from the second boot device, the following step is performed:

installing software onto the second boot device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of installing software onto the second boot device comprises one method from the following set of methods:

installing software onto the second boot device;

copying installed software onto the second boot device;

copying installation software onto the second boot device; and

writing onto the second boot device a version of an operating environment running as a result of the boot from the first boot device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the version of the operating environment comprises a template of an operating environment.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein after the step of installing and before the step of booting from the second boot device, the following step is performed:

updating the software installed onto the second boot device.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein after the step of installing and before the step of booting from the second boot device, the following step is performed:

protecting the second boot device from further modification.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein before the step of booting from the second boot device, the following step is performed:

automatically monitoring an operating environment running as a result of the booting from the first boot device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

detecting an undesirable change in the operating environment; and

generating the signal indicating a need for repair in response to the detection.

17. The method of claim 1, further including performing a data backup.

18. The method of claim 17, further including performing a data restore from the data backup.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the data backup includes creating a master template either before initial use of the computing device or after a period of use, and the restore from the backup involves the use of the master template.

20. A computing device that repairs itself to an operational status at any time during operation, the computing device comprising:

a computing device hardware box;

a bootable first boot device disposed within the computing device hardware box;

a bootable second boot device, the bootable boot device having software installed onto the second boot device at anytime prior to booting from the second boot device that is protected from further modification by at least one of (a) switching the second boot device to a state of unavailability;

or (b) switching the second boot device to a read-only state;

a switching logic responsive to receiving a signal indicating a need for repair of the computing device during the booting or during any operating state, that controls booting of the computing device from the second boot device;

the second boot device being physically present within the computing device hardware box prior to receiving the signal indicating a need for repair; and

means for repairing software on the first boot device while booted from the second boot device that selectively either;

(i) maintains operation of the computing device from the second boot device to restore operational status of the computing device during repairing of the software on the boot device, or (ii) changes to operation of the computing device from the second boot device to the first boot device after repair of the software to restore operational status of the computing device.

21. A computing device as in claim 20, further comprising a switch, different from an on-off switch of the computing device and exposed on an exterior surface of the computing device hardware box adapted to generate the signal when operated by an external user to alter the state of the switch.

22. A computing device as in claim 20, further comprising monitor and signal generation means within the computing device for monitoring operation or failure of operation of the computing device and adapted to generate the signal when a failure of operation is detected.

23. A computing device as in claim 20, wherein the first boot device comprises a first hard disk drive boot device.

24. A computing device as in claim 20, wherein the second boot device comprises a second hard disk drive boot device.

25. A computing device as in claim 20, wherein the first boot device comprises a first hard disk drive boot device and the second boot device comprises a second hard disk drive boot device.