Abstract:
A method for software installation and pre-setup, the installation comprising of downloading image files to a target computer during manufacture, a partition image file being used for partitioning the target computer&#39;s storage device into a first, a second and a third partition; boot-up files are stored in the third partition and at least one operating system (OS) image file is stored in the second partition. The method of pre-setup comprises executing the boot-up files when a user powers on the computer for a first time, whereupon an OS selection frame is presented. Upon user OS selection, the computer merges the first and second partitions then explodes the appropriate OS image file into the resulting merged partition. The boot-up files remaining in the third partition are executed during a first reboot, subsequently, the third partition is hidden and the OS in the merged partition executed during a second reboot.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   The present application claims priority to Taiwan application No. 089122276, entitled “Method for Software Installation and Pre-Setup,” filed on Oct. 19, 2000. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a method for software installation and pre-setup, and more particularly to a method for software installation and pre-setup to reduce the cost of manufacture and promote the flexibility of software installation and pre-setup. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   In the prior art, before shipping out a computer, a computer manufacturer installs an operating system (OS) in a storage device of the computer. The OS comprises OS drivers and OS application programs. In the process of manufacturing, the manufacturer installs an OS image file onto the hard disk of the computer. When a user powers on the computer, the computer explodes or decompress the OS image file onto the hard disk to pre-setup the OS. 
   In the process of manufacturing, the manufacturer also installs patch files onto the hard disk of the computer. The patch files are used for updating and correcting the OS drivers or OS application programs of the OS. Usually, the patch files are under a patch directory. After the user pre-sets up the OS, the computer copies the patch files to the locations of original files and 1  replace the original files. 
   As usual, the shipped-out computer is bundled with a recovery CD (compact disk) and a system CD. The recovery CD comprises boot-up files and OS image files. When the computer fails to function properly due to errors such as some required files of the OS are destroyed, the user can use the recovery CD to recover the OS according to the OS image files in the recovery CD. The system CD comprises patch files. When the OS drivers or OS application programs are updated, the manufacturer stores the patch files (updated files) in the system CD. Therefore, the user can use the system CD to update OS drivers or OS application programs. 
   If the computer is shipped out to a multilingual country, such as Switzerland where people speak three official languages (German, French and Italian), the manufacturer has to install three OS image files onto the hard disk. In other words, German, French and Italian versions of OS image files are all required. 
   In addition, in order to install multiple OS image files onto the hard disk, manufacturers have to use Microsoft Multiple Operating system Preinstallation Toolkit (MPK) to format the hard disk by Microsoft-specified format standards. However, if the OS drivers or the OS application programs are updated, the updated files cannot directly replace the original file for MPK format cannot be amended. That makes file updating for both OS drivers or OS application programs an inconvenient task. 
   The computer has three versions of OS. When a user powers on the computer, the computer generates a selection frame for the user to select a version in need. 
   Besides, if the computer is shipped out to a multilingual country, taking Switzerland for example, the manufacturer has to bundle three recovery CDs to the computer. The three recovery CDs are used for storing a German OS image file, a French OS image file and an Italian OS image file respectively. 
   However, among three recovery CDs, only one of them can comprise boot-up files according to Microsoft&#39;s rules regarding bundle software. As a result, when the computer fails to function properly, the user has to insert the recovery CD with the boot-up files to boot the computer at first, and then change to the recovery CD having desired language version of the OS image file for recover the OS of the computer. 
   Furthermore, in the Switzerland example, apart from the three recovery CDs, a system CD also has to be bundled along with the computer being shipped. In total, four CDs including three-language versions recovery CD and one system CD greatly increases the burden of manufacturing cost. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is therefore a primary objective of the present invention to provide a method for software installation and pre-setup to solve the above-mentioned problems. 
   In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a method for software installation and pre-setup. The method of software installation comprises the following steps. First, a computer downloads a partition image file to a storage device of the computer from a server via a network. The partition image file is used for partitioning the storage device into a first partition, a second partition, and a third partition. The computer stores boot-up files in the third partition for setting the third partition as an active partition. Each of the computers downloads at least one operating system (OS) image file to the second partition of the storage device of the computer from the server via the network. 
   The method of software pre-setup comprises the following steps. When a user powers on the computer at the start, the computer executes the boot-up files in the third partition for booting the computer. Then, the computer polls the filenames of the OS image files to generate a selection frame. The selection frame comprises several options, and each of the options corresponds to a specific OS. After the user selects one OS, the computer merges the first and second partitions to form a merged partition. 
   Whereas the second partition still exits in the computer, the computer is able to access the second partition. The computer explodes the OS image file corresponding to the OS chosen by the user from the second partition to the merged partition. Then, the computer executes the boot-up files in the third partition for a first reboot of the computer. Subsequently, the computer hides the third partition, and then executes the OS in the merged partition for a second reboot of the computer. 
   It is an advantage of the present invention that a hard disk is partitioned into three partitions so as to store a plurality of OS image files onto the hard disk. In this way, the OS drivers and the OS application programs can be updated directly. Besides, it is more flexible for the manufacturer to install software so as to provide the user more options. The computer manufacturer can install the OS and application programs in the computer according to the user&#39;s demand. 
   These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after having read the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, which is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The following detailed description, given by way of examples and not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments described herein, will best be understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective diagram of a system for software installation according to the present invention; 
     FIG.  2 ( a ) is a perspective diagram of the partitioned storage device of the computer in the process of the software installation; 
     FIG.  2 ( b ) is a perspective diagram of the partitioned storage device of the computer in the process of the software installation; 
     FIG.  3 ( a ) is a perspective diagram of the partitioned storage device of the computer in the process of the software pre-set up; 
     FIG.  3 ( b ) is a perspective diagram of the partitioned storage device of the computer in the process of the software pre-set up; and 
       FIG. 4  is a flow chart of the method for software installation and pre-set up according to the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Please refer to FIG.  1 .  FIG. 1  is a perspective diagram of a system  10  for software installation according to the present invention. The system  10  comprises a server  12 , and a plurality of computers  14 . The computers  14  are connected to the server  12  via a network  16 . The server  12  comprises a partition image file  18 , a plurality of OS image files  20 , a plurality of patch files  19 , and a plurality of application programs  21 . Each of the computers  14  comprises a storage device  22 . The storage device  22  is a hard disk. 
   Please refer to FIG.  2  and FIG.  4 .  FIG. 2  is a perspective diagram of the partitioned storage device  22  of the computer  14  in the process of the software installation.  FIG. 4  is a flow chart of the method  40  for software installation and pre-set up according to the present invention. In the manufacturing process, the partition image file  18  is downloaded to the storage device  22  of each of the computers  14  from the server  12  via the network  16  (the step  401  in  FIG. 4 ) . After the partition image file  18  is exploded, the storage device  22  is partitioned into a first partition  24 , a second partition  26 , and a third partition  28 , and the boot-up files are stored in the third partition  28  for setting the third partition  28  as an active partition. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the third partition  28  is C drive, the first partition  24  is D drive, and the second partition  26  is E drive. 
   The capacity of the first partition  24  (D drive) accounts for half the total capacity of the storage device (hard disk)  22 , the capacity of the third partition  28  (C drive) is 50 megabytes, and the capacity of the second partition  26  (E drive) accounts for the remaining portion after the capacity of the first partition  24  and the third partition  28  are deducted from the total capacity of the storage device  22 . 
   Then, the OS image files  20  are downloaded to the second partition  26  of the storage device  22  of the computer  14  from the server  12  via the network  16  (the step  402  in FIG.  4 ). As shown in FIG.  2 ( b ) , the second partition  26  comprises three OS image files. They are German, French, Italian OS image files. 
   Each of the computers  14  downloads patch files  19  and application programs  21  from the server  12  to the third partition  28  of the storage device  22  (the step  403  in FIG.  4 ). The application program  21  can be the Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and so on. 
   Please refer to FIG.  3 .  FIG. 3  is a perspective diagram of the partitioned storage device  22  of the computer  14  in the process of the software pre-set up. As the step  404  in  FIG. 4 , when a user powers on the computer  14  for the first time, the computer  14  executes the boot-up files in the third partition  28  for booting up. Then, as the step  405  in  FIG. 4 , the computer  14  polls the filenames of all the OS image files to generate a selection frame. This selection frame comprises a plurality of options, and each of the options corresponds to a specific OS. In this case, since the second partition  26  comprises three OS image files, the selection frame has three options that are the German OS, the French OS, and the Italian OS respectively for the user to select. 
   After the user chooses the OS in need, for example, the user has chosen the German OS, the computer  14  merges the first and second partitions  24 ,  26  to form a merged partition  30  as the step  406  in FIG.  4 . As shown in FIG.  3 ( a ), the third partition  28  is C drive, and the merged partition  30  is D drive. Before the computer  14  reboots, the second partition  26  still exits in the computer  14 , and the computer  14  still can access the second partition  26 . 
   Next, the computer  14  explodes the OS image file of the chosen OS (the German OS image file in this case) from the second partition  26  to the merged partition  30  by the GHOST software (the step  407  in FIG.  4 ). As shown in FIG.  3 ( b ) , the chosen OS (the German OS) has been in the third partition  30 . As the step  408  in  FIG. 4 , the computer  14  executes the boot-up files in the original third partition  28  for a first reboot of the computer  14 . 
   After the first reboot of the computer  14 , the computer  14  copies the patch files in the original third partition  28  to the merged partition  30  to update the OS drivers or OS application programs of the OS in the merged partition  30 . The computer  14  also installs the application programs  21  of the third partition  28  in the merged partition  30  (the step  409  in FIG.  4 ). After copying the patch files and installing the application programs, the computer  14  hides the third partition  28  (the step  410  in FIG.  4 ). As the step  411  in  FIG. 4 , the computer  14  executes the OS in the merged partition  30  for a second reboot of the computer  14 . The process from the user first powering on the computer  14  to the second reboot of the computer  14  is the process of software pre-setup. 
   The first partition  24 , the second partition  26 , the third partition  28 , and the merged partition  30  are primary partitions. 
   In the process of manufacturing, the computer manufacturer not only can install different operating systems according to the user&#39;s demand, but also can install different application programs  21  in the third partition according to the user&#39;s demand. The capacity of the third partition is flexible on condition that it is sufficient to store the application programs. Before shipping out the computers, the manufacturer inquires user&#39;s demand. In addition to install different language versions of the OS image files, the manufacturer can install different versions of OS, such as Microsoft Windows 98, Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows Me to meet the user&#39;s need. When the user powers on the computer for the first time, the user can select the OS as required. 
   Furthermore, the manufacturer can inquire user&#39;s demand for application programs and install the application programs in the third partition according to the user&#39;s demand. In the process of software pre-setup, when the computer reboots for the first time, the computer automatically installs the application programs  21  of the third partition in the merged partition  30 . Therefore, the user does not have to repeat the installation of application programs. 
   The invention allows the computer manufacturer to bundle one recovery CD and one system CD to the computer when the computer is shipped to a multilingual country. The recovery CD comprises a partition image file and a plurality of OS image files. For example, if the computer is shipped to Switzerland, the recovery CD includes German, French, and Italian OS image files. When the computer fails to function properly due to errors, a user can use the recovery CD to recover the computer. If the user wants to re-install an OS, the user also can use the recovery CD to re-select the OS. For example, a user may originally use Chinese version of MicroSoft Windows 98 which adapts traditional character. If the user wants to replace the OS with Chinese version of MicroSoft Windows 98 which adapts simplified character, the user can use the recovery CD to re-install the OS. 
   The system CD comprises patch files and application programs. When the OS drivers or the OS application programs of the OS are updated, the manufacturer stores the patch files in the system CD. Therefore, the user can use the system CD to update the OS drivers or the OS application programs. Furthermore, the manufacturer can store the application programs required by the user in the system CD. After the user uses the recovery CD to re-install a new OS, the user can use the system CD to update the OS drivers or the OS application programs, and to re-install the application programs in need in the computer. 
   Compared to the prior art, by using the method for software installation and pre-setup according to the present invention, the computer manufacturer partitions the hard disk into three partitions so as to store a plurality of OS image files onto the hard disk. Besides, the OS drivers and the OS application programs can be updated directly. Even when the computer is shipped to a multilingual country, the computer manufacturer only has to bundle one recovery CD and one system CD to the computer. Therefore, the cost of manufacturing is greatly reduced. 
   Furthermore, by using the method for software installation and pre-setup according to the present invention, it is more flexible for a manufacturer to install software so as to provide users more options. The computer manufacturer can install the OS and application programs in the computer according to the user&#39;s demand. The user can select the OS in need, and reselect a new OS by using the recovery CD. In the process of software pre-setup, the computer automatically installs the application programs. The computer manufacturer only has to bundle one recovery CD and one system CD to the shipped-out computer. Therefore, the user is provided various selections without increasing the cost of manufacturing. 
   Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.