Accessing file data stored in non-volatile re-programmable semiconductor memories

• US 8,078,586 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2009
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Rhoads, Edward R., Ketrenos, James P.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEWIS, CHERYL RENEA
• Application Number:
  US12/386,043
• Publication Number:
  US 20090204651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 974 Days
• Field of Search: 707/602, 707/674, 707/693, 707/802, 711/162
• US Class Current: 707/674
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1794 Details of file format conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/441 Multiboot arrangements, i.e. selecting an operating system to be loaded
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

File data for an operating system may be stored in a compressed format in a re-programmable semiconductor memory. The memory may be provided with a header and data for one or more file systems all stored in a compressed format. A device driver also stored in the memory may be utilized to decompress the data and to convert it to a format suitable for a particular file system or operating system.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

flash memory coupled to the processor, the flash memory to store a primary operating system and a secondary operating system, the secondary operating system to be loaded when the system enters a recovery mode.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the recovery mode comprises an operating system safe mode.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the flash memory is further operable to store a boot loader, the boot loader to allow a user to select whether to load the primary operating system or the secondary operating system when the system has entered the recovery mode.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the flash memory is further operable to store data in a file system utilizing a compressed format.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the system further includes a device driver to

compress the data to store in the compressed format file system;

and

decompress the stored data for use by at least the primary operating system.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the system further includes a file system driver to

organize the compressed data for storage in the flash memory, the compressed data received from the device driver;

and

retrieve the compressed data from storage in the flash memory, the retrieved data requested by the device driver.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the flash memory comprises a plurality of blocks, each block capable of storing at least a portion of the data.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the flash memory is further operable to store an allocation table with a plurality of entries corresponding to the plurality of blocks, the allocation table to indicate the length of the blocks and the number of entries in the allocation table.

9. A method, comprising:

storing at least a primary operating system in a flash memory in a computer system;

prompting a user to select whether to use a primary operating mode or a secondary operating mode;

loading the primary operating system into a system memory when the primary operating mode is selected; and

loading a secondary operating system into a system memory when the secondary operating mode is selected.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

storing the secondary operating system in the flash memory.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

storing data in a file system utilizing a compressed format.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

compressing the data to store using a device driver; and

decompressing the stored data for use by at least the primary operating system using the device driver.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

organizing the compressed data for storage in the flash memory using a file system driver, the compressed data received from the device driver; and

retrieving the compressed data from storage in the flash memory using the file system driver, the retrieved data requested by the device driver.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

storing an allocation table with a plurality of entries corresponding to a plurality of blocks in the flash memory, the allocation table to indicate the length of the blocks and the number of entries in the allocation table.