Patent ID: 7231643
Filing Date: 2007-06-12
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. An image rescue system comprising: an application program for communication with a mass storage device, said application program being in communication with an operating system layer for accessing said mass storage device to read and write information; a device driver in communication with said application program, said operating system layer and said mass storage device, said device driver for allowing said application program to access said mass storage device to read and write information by bypassing said operating system layer, said device driver for communicating with said mass storage device to allow said application program to search for information in said mass storage device considered damaged by said operating system layer, said damaged information being inaccessible to said operating system layer, the device driver identifying the mass storage device and recovering information previously stored thereon even though the mass storage device includes damaged information; and direct access bus coupled between said application program and said device driver for causing direct communication therebetween, wherein said image rescue system accesses said mass storage device to rapidly and efficiently retrieve and recover information accessible and inaccessible to said operating system layer and further wherein said application program queries said mass storage device to determine absolute size of said mass storage device and physical block size of said mass storage device, wherein the said application program retrieves an operating system file allocation unit to access information in said mass storage device, said application device identifies a search allocation unit based on said physical block size of said mass storage device and said operating system file allocation unit.