Patent ID: 6701450
Filing Date: 2004-03-02
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method of executing application software in a system comprising computing apparatus and tape drive apparatus, the computing apparatus being bootable from a CD ROM and not being bootable from conventional tape drive apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:generating bootable tape media, by storing to the tape media both application software and bootable data corresponding to that which the CD-ROM would provide to the computing apparatus during booting of the computing apparatus from the CD ROM; initiating booting of the computing apparatus, causing the computing apparatus to attempt to locate a CD-ROM during the initial booting; controlling the tape drive apparatus so the tape drive apparatus emulates CD ROM for interactions with the computing apparatus while the computing apparatus is booting, said controlling step resulting in the tape drive apparatus identifying itself to the computing apparatus as an initial program load device of a CD-ROM; and continuing with the operation of the computing apparatus by (a) recognising the tape drive apparatus as a CD-ROM initial program load device, (b) then booting the computer from the bootable data, and then (c) supplying the application software from the tape media to the computing apparatus via the tape drive mechanism.