Patent ID: 6711660
Filing Date: 2004-03-23
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A disk drive for use with a computer system including a host memory and a host processor for generating a boot command, the disk drive comprising:a. a host-accessible user partition including: i. a user partition address range; ii. a host-selected operating system stored within the user partition address range; and iii. a host-selected master boot record stored within the user partition address range, the host selected master boot record identifying the host-selected operating system; b. a host-inaccessible hidden partition independent of the host-accessible user partition and including: i. a hidden partition address range outside the user partition address range; ii. diagnostic software stored within the hidden partition address range, the diagnostic software configured to determine a condition of the computer system; and iii. a drive-selected master boot record stored within the hidden partition address range, the drive-selected master boot record for: (a) waiting for a user input within a predetermined time period; (b) if the user input is received within the predetermined time period: 1. loading and executing the diagnostic software; and (c) if the user input is not received within the predetermined time period: 1. loading the host-selected master boot record; and 2. loading and executing the host-selected operating system identified by the host-selected master boot record; and c. a disk controller configured to receive the boot command and to send the drive-selected master boot record to the host memory in response to receipt of the boot command.