Software installation in multiple operating systems

• US 7,950,008 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2005
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kalantri, Atul Laxmikant, Bhide, Manish Anand
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhen; Wei Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nahar; Qamrun
• Application Number:
  US11/175,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20070011672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,148 Days
• Field of Search: 717/174, 717/175, 717/176, 717/178
• US Class Current: 717/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/441 Multiboot arrangements, i.e. selecting an operating system to be loaded

Abstract

A software application can be installed under one operating system, and accessed for execution by a second operating system compatible with the first operating system by identifying and making appropriate changes to system parameters in the second operating system. The two operating systems may be installed on the same of different machines. A record can be made of changes in system parameters that are made upon installation of the software application in the first operating system as a basis for making appropriate changes in the system parameters of the second operating system to allow the software application to be accessed for execution from the second operating system.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for executing a software application on a different operating system than an operating system on which said software application is installed, said method comprising:

identifying, by a computing device, changes in system parameters in a first operating system made upon installing said software application in said first operating system;

changing, by said computing device, system parameters in a second operating system to be compatible with the first operating system based upon the changes in system parameters in the first operating system without installing said software application on said second operating system; and

accessing, by said computing device, the software application installed on said first operating system for execution in the second operating system,

said changed system parameters point to installed files specific to said software application on a mapped drive of said first operating system on which said software application is already installed.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising storing, by said computing device, a first record of system parameters of the first operating system before installing the software application.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising installing, by said computing device, said software application in the first operating system.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising storing, by said computing device, a second record of system parameters of the first operating system subsequent to installing the software application.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the changes in the system parameters are identified by comparing the first record and the second record.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first operating system and the second operating system are bootable from different computer systems.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising mapping, by said computing device, a drive of a first machine which hosts the first operating system and the software application, onto the drive of a second machine from which the software application is to be accessed for execution.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first operating system and second operating system are bootable from one computer system.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first operating system and second operating system are different versions of the same operating system.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising maintaining, by said computing device, a record of changes to the system parameters made in the second operating system.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising reversing, by a computing device, recorded changes to the system parameters made in the second operating system.

12. A computer-implemented method for executing a software application on a different operating system than an operating system on which said software application is installed, said method comprising:

identifying, by a computing device, from a set of operating systems compatible with a first operating system, a second operating system from which the software application installed on the first operating system is to be executed; and

changing, by said computing device, system parameters in the second operating system based upon changes in system parameters of the first operating system relating to installation of the software application on the first operating system without installing said software application on said second operating system;

wherein changes made to the system parameters in the second operating system allow the software application to be accessed in the first operating system for execution in the second operating system,

said changed system parameters point to installed files specific to said software application on a mapped drive of said first operating system on which said software application is already installed.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising storing, by said computing device, a first record of system parameters of the first operating system before installing the software application.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising installing, by said computing device, said software application in the first operating system.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising storing, by said computing device, a second record of system parameters of the first operating system subsequent to installing the software application.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the changes in the system parameters are identified by comparing the first record and the second record.

17. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first operating system and the second operating system are bootable from different computer systems.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising mapping, by said computing device, a drive of a first machine which hosts the first operating system and the software application, onto the drive of a second machine from which the software application is to be accessed for execution.

19. A computer program product comprising:

a storage medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions readable by a computer system and executable by said computer system for implementing a method of;

identifying from a set of operating systems compatible with a first operating system, a second operating system from which a software application installed on the first operating system is to be executed; and

changing system parameters in the second operating system based upon changes in system parameters of the first operating system relating to installation of the software application on the first operating system without installing said software application on said second operating system;

wherein changes made to the system parameters in the second operating system allow the software application to be accessed in the first operating system for execution in the second operating system,

said changed system parameters point to installed files specific to said software application on a mapped drive of said first operating system on which said software application is already installed.

20. A computer system comprising:

a processor for executing software instructions;

a memory for storing software instructions;

a system bus coupling the memory and the processor; and

a storage medium recording software instructions that are loadable to the memory for implementing a method of;

identifying from a set of operating systems compatible with a first operating system, a second operating system from which a software application installed on the first operating system is to be executed; and

changing system parameters in the second operating system based upon changes in system parameters of the first operating system relating to installation of the software application on the first operating system without installing said software application on said second operating system;

wherein changes made to the system parameters in the second operating system allow the software application to be accessed in the first operating system for execution in the second operating system,

said changed system parameters point to installed files specific to said software application on a mapped drive of said first operating system on which said software application is already installed.