System and method for dynamically changing system behavior by modifying boot configuration data and registry entries

• US 9,417,886 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2013
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Satam, Aditi R., Bhat, Gangadhar D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cassity, Robert
• Application Number:
  US13/746,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20140208089A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,303 Days
• Field of Search: 713/2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4406 Loading of operating system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files

Abstract

A method includes booting an information handling system, starting a BIOS on the information handling system, storing configuration information for the information handling system, retrieving, by an operating system (OS) loader, the configuration information, determining, by the OS boot manager, that a configuration of the information handling system indicated by the configuration information is incompatible with an OS loaded on the information handling system by the OS boot manager, determining, by the OS boot manager, that the incompatibility can be mitigated by changing a setting of the information handling system, changing, by the OS boot manager, the setting in response to determining that the incompatibility can be mitigated, and launching, by the OS boot manager, the OS in response to changing the setting.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

booting an information handling system;

starting a basic input/output system (BIOS) in response to booting the information handling system;

storing, by the BIOS, configuration information for the information handling system;

retrieving, by an operating system (OS) boot manager, the configuration information;

determining, by the OS boot manager, that a first configuration of the information handling system indicated by the configuration information is incompatible with an OS loaded on the information handling system by the OS boot manager, wherein the determining further includes checking for the first configuration in an incompatibilities list of the OS boot manager;

determining, by the OS boot manager, that the incompatibility can be mitigated by changing a first setting of the information handling system;

changing, by the OS boot manager, the first setting in response to determining that the incompatibility can be mitigated;

determining, by the OS boot manager, that a second configuration of the information handling system indicated by the configuration information is not incorrect, and is associated with a boot status of the information handling system;

changing, by the OS boot manager, a second setting associated with the second configuration of the information handling system; and

launching, by the OS boot manager, the OS in response to changing the first setting.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the OS boot manager, that a third configuration of the information handling system indicated by the configuration information is a mis-configuration of the information handling system;

determining, by the OS boot manager, that the mis-configuration can be offset by changing a third setting of the information handling system; and

changing, by the OS boot manager, the third setting in response to determining that the mis-configuration can be offset.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the OS boot manager, that the booting of the information handling system is responsive to an installation of the OS; and

changing, by the OS boot manager, a second setting in response to determining that the booting is responsive to an installation of the OS.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein changing the first setting comprises enabling a feature of the information handling system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein changing the first setting comprises disabling a feature of the information handling system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein changing the first setting comprises changing a boot configuration database of the information handling system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein changing the first setting comprises changing a registry of the OS.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein changing the first setting comprises changing an ACPI table of the information handling system.

9. An information handling system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory including code for implementing;

a basic input/output system (BIOS) operable to;

initialize the information handling system; and

store a configuration database including configuration information for the information handling system; and

an operating system (OS) boot manager operable to;

retrieve, by an operating system (OS) loader, the configuration information;

determine that a first configuration of the information handling system indicated by the configuration information is incompatible with an OS loaded on the information handling system by the OS boot manager;

determine that the incompatibility can be mitigated by changing a first setting of the information handling system;

change the first setting in response to determining that the incompatibility can be mitigated;

launch the OS in response to changing the first setting;

determine that a second configuration of the information handling system indicated b the configuration information is not incorrect, and is associated with a boot an installation of the OS;

determine that the booting of the information handling system is responsive to an installation of the OS; and

change a second setting associated with the second configuration in response to determining that the booting is responsive to an installation of the OS, wherein changing the second setting includes enabling an OS kernel debugger.

10. The information handling system of claim 9, wherein the OS boot manager is further operable to:

determine that a second configuration of the information handling system indicated by the configuration information is a mis-configuration of the information handling system;

determine that the mis-configuration can be offset by changing a second setting of the information handling system; and

change the second setting in response to determining that the mis-configuration can be offset.

11. The information handling system of claim 9, wherein in changing the first setting, the OS boot manager is further operable to enable a feature of the information handling system.

12. The information handling system of claim 9, wherein in changing the first setting, the OS boot manager is further operable to disable a feature of the information handling system.

13. The information handling system of claim 9, wherein in changing the first setting, the OS boot manager is further operable to change a boot configuration database of the information handling system.

14. The information handling system of claim 9, wherein in changing the first setting, the OS boot manager is further operable to change a registry of the OS.

15. The information handling system of claim 9, wherein in changing the first setting, the OS boot manager is further operable to change an ACPI table of the information handling system.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including code for performing a method, the method comprising:

booting an information handling system;

starting a basic input/output system (BIOS) in response to booting the information handling system;

storing, by the BIOS, configuration information for the information handling system;

retrieving, by an operating system (OS) boot manager, the configuration information;

determining that a first configuration of the information handling system indicated by the configuration information is incompatible with an OS loaded on the information handling system by the OS boot manager, wherein the determining includes checking for the first configuration in an incompatibilities list of the OS boot manager;

determining that the incompatibility can be mitigated by changing a first setting of the information handling system;

changing the first setting in response to determining that the incompatibility can be mitigated;

determining, by the OS boot manager, that a second configuration of the information handling system indicated by the configuration information is not incorrect, and is associated with a boot status of the information handling system;

changing, by the OS boot manager, a second setting associated with the second configuration of the information handling system; and

launching the OS in response to changing the first setting.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, further including code for:

determining that a third configuration of the information handling system indicated by the configuration information is a mis-configuration of the information handling system;

determining that the mis-configuration can be offset by changing a third setting of the information handling system; and

changing the third setting in response to determining that the mis-configuration can be offset.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, further including code for:

determining that the booting of the information handling system is responsive to an installation of the OS; and

changing a second setting in response to determining that the booting is responsive to an installation of the OS.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein changing the first setting comprises enabling a feature of the information handling system.