Abstract:
The present invention is an apparatus, system, and method for allowing a user to boot to an alternate operating system by pressing a single button on an externally attached storage device with a push button. The invention helps a user recover operational use of his computer system when the internal system drive suffers a software application or operating system failure. The invention consists of an attached storage device with a push button and supporting electronics capable of formatting and transmitting a recognizable data packet to the host computer and an application program in the host computer that can receive the data packet, process boot files, and force a reboot of the operating system with the attached storage device as the boot device.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority from provisional application No. 61/267,041 filed Dec. 5, 2009, the entire contents of which are herewith incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Multiple approaches to booting from more than one storage device and for selecting one of a plurality of operating systems are known. 
     Systems often use boot.ini and the boot configuration data base. Microsoft has created a detailed document showing how the boot configuration data base is architected and edited as BCD objects. 
     The capability of computer systems to boot from more than one storage device or the ability to boot a selected operating system from a number of operating systems has been present for quite some time. Windows NT™ operating systems have been in the field since 1993 and have had multi-boot capability. 
     NT systems from NT 3.1 through NT 5.2 released in 2007 have typically used a boot preference file named boot.ini. This file if present is read by an early load portion of NT and processed. The file typically contains the ID and address of each partition and sub-folder in the partition that houses or contains an operating system, and the identity of a default operating system, and a timer value which states in seconds the amount of time the information will be displayed to a user before the default operating system will be booted. 
     Sophisticated users can edit the boot.ini file and change the default operating system to be booted and/or add or remove operating systems. See  FIGS. 2A and 2B  for examples of boot.ini files. 
     Starting with Windows™ NT 6 released in 2006, the boot.ini file was discarded and a new facility with increased capability called Boot Configuration Data base (BCD) was introduced to control the booting of a system. 
     The BCD provides a firmware-independent mechanism for manipulating boot environment data for typically for Windows VistaTMand later operating systems. Windows VistaTMand later versions of WindowsTMuse it to load the operating system or to run boot applications such as memory diagnostics. The BCD abstracts the underlying firmware. BCD currently supports both PC/AT BIOS and Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) systems. BCD interfaces perform all necessary interaction with firmware. 
     The BCD allows developers to programmatically manipulate a BCD store or objects through the BCD WMI provider. The WMI provider supports a unified programming interface that can be used for both local and remote management of BCD stores. The interface is independent of the underlying firmware, so developers can write one application that works on any type of system. 
     The reference manual for the BCD facility is available at the microsoft dot com website and is incorporated by reference herein. 
     The manual describes the exact interface and how objects within the BCD are manipulated. 
     Additionally, if the operating system on the system drive becomes non-operational, and even if the user has a bootable backup storage device attached to the computer system, it can be a daunting task to use that backup as the primary bootable storage device. Until now, the user typically needed to change the BIOS settings to boot the backup storage device or remove the backup drive from its enclosure and install it into the computer system. 
     SUMMARY 
     Manually changing the boot order of the Boot Configuration Data is not a trivial task for an unsophisticated user. Performing an edit on the Boot Configuration Data can result in an unbootable condition. 
     Embodiments describe an improved programming interface to make changes in the boot order of a firmware-independent mechanism for manipulating boot environment data, e.g., the BCD in a PC. 
     Embodiments describe a new way to boot an attached storage device containing a bootable operating system without manually altering the system BIOS or physically moving the drive from the attached enclosure to the system. 
     An embodiment describes a new and unique system and method for booting an operating system from an attached storage device by a specified operation, e.g., pressing a single button on the attached storage device. This action and the underlying logic and apparatus causes the boot files to be automatically altered and a reboot to be forced, such that the reboot or restart uses the operating system contained on the attached storage device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a block diagram of a personal computer; 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B  show different variations of a boot.ini file; 
         FIG. 3  shows a logic diagram for a pre-Vista operating system; and 
         FIG. 4  shows a logic diagram for a post-Vista operating system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referencing  FIG. 1  which depicts a typical personal computer  10  which may be any of a plurality of personal computers such as laptops, desktops, servers, or handheld devices. In this depiction, personal computer  11  contains a system bus  15  which provides a common bus for microprocessor  12 , system memory  13 , system BIOS  14 , disk interface  16 , internal storage device  17 , external peripheral control  18 , external bus  19 , and attached storage  20 . For clarity, there are several sub-systems not shown in this depiction such as a graphical user interface monitor, graphics controller, keyboard, or mouse pointer. These items are not needed to describe embodiments of the invention, however, may be used with the invention. 
       31  in  FIGS. 2A and 32  in  FIG. 2B  depict two variations of a boot.ini file that could be used for displaying a boot menu to the user prior to windows being completely loaded. Boot.ini files are used by pre-Windows Vista™ computers for controlling boot order. Boot.ini files can be used in two modes. The first mode allows the contents of the file to be displayed to the user at boot time if the timeout value  33  is some value other than zero. If the value of timeout value  33  is other than zero, the contents of the file identifying storage devices, partitions, and operating systems will be formatted and displayed as a menu allowing the user to select one of a number of operating systems to boot. If timeout value  33  is set to zero, the menu will not be displayed to the user and the operating system identified as default  34  or default  38  will be loaded. 
     Note that in the depictions of the boot.ini file shown in  FIG. 2A , the default operating system to be booted in  FIG. 2A  is contained in disk 0, partition 1, subdirectory “\WINDOWS”. In  FIG. 2B , the default operating system to be booted is contained in disk 1, partition 1, subdirectory “\ WINNT”. This demonstrates how different operating systems subdirectories can be used according to the values in the boot.ini file. 
     Element  40  in  FIG. 3  is a logic diagram where the current operating system  44  is a pre-Windows VistaTMoperating system such as Windows XPTMor Windows 2000™. In  FIG. 3 , the vertical members or objects represent functional portions of a personal computer or functional portions of software and the horizontal lines represent actions or processing steps. Logic diagram  40  begins at attached storage device  41  with processing step user presses button  47 . Push button  21  pressed by the user resides on the attached storage device  20 . Attached storage device  20  formats a data packet that is sent across external bus  19  through external peripheral controller  18  to system memory  13  where PC application  42  is executing. When PC Application  42  receives the data packet that indicates that push button  21  has been pressed, PC application  42  performs PC application processes Boot.ini  49 . PC application processes Boot.ini  49  by editing the Boot.ini file residing on internal storage device  17  such that the operating system resident on attached storage device  20  is set to be the default operating system. The Boot.ini file depicted in  FIG. 2A  as  31  is altered to that depicted in  FIG. 2B  and written back to internal storage device  17 . After PC application processes Boot.ini  49  processing is completed, PC application  42  will notify BIOS  43  to force a reboot by performing sent boot signal to BIOS  50 . BIOS  43  receives send boot signal to BIOS  50  and in turn notifies the current operating system  44  by performing send shut down to operating system  51 . 
     Current operating system  44  receives the shutdown notification from BIOS  43  and performs its orderly shut down processing by performing operating system shut down  52 . After current operating system  44  has finished shutting down, it will notify BIOS  43  by sending “shut down complete”  53  to BIOS  43 . 
     BIOS  43  receives a notification of shut down complete and performs the start boot loader for current OS  54 . This processing step reads the boot loader from the master boot record of internal storage device  17  into system memory  13  and starts executing the boot loader. The boot loader performs boot loader reads and processes current boot.ini file  55 . This processing step loads sufficient software from the internal storage device  17  that will allow it to allows the computing device to read the Boot.ini file from the internal storage device  17 . 
     Using the default entry for the operating system, here default operating system  38  in  FIG. 2B , the software will perform BIOS reads using the boot loader from attached storage device  86  which reads the boot loader from attached storage device  20  into system memory  13 . After the boot loader from attached storage device  20  has been read into system memory  13 , BIOS  43  performs the start boot loader executing  57 . At this point, attached storage device boot loader  46  will perform load attached operating system  58  which reads those portions of the operating system residing on attached storage device  20  that are required to load the full operating system. Once the operating system has been loaded into system memory  13 , attached storage device boot loader  46  will send start attached operating system executing  59  to attached operating system  45 . This processing step starts attached operating system  45  executing which performs attached operating system starts  60 . At this point, the operating system that is resident on attached storage device  20  is booted up and running. 
       FIG. 4  shows the logic  40  for an operating system  44  which is a Windows Vista™ or newer operating system such as Windows 7™. In  FIG. 4 , the vertical members or objects represent functional portions of a personal computer or functional portions of software and the horizontal lines represent actions or processing steps. Logic diagram  40  begins at attached storage device  41  with processing step user presses button  47 . Push button  21  pressed by the user resides on the attached storage device  20 . Attached storage device  20  formats a data packet that is sent across external bus  19  through external peripheral controller  18  to system memory  13  where PC application  42  is executing. When PC Application  42  receives the data packet notifying it of push button  21  being pressed, PC application  42  performs PC application processes Boot Configuration Data base  61 . PC application processes Boot Configuration Data  61  edits the Boot Configuration Data base (DCB) file residing on internal storage device  17  such that the operating system resident on attached storage device  20  is set to be the default operating system. This processing step sets the default operating system as the operating system resident on attached storage device  20 . After PC application processes Boot Configuration Data base  61  processing is completed, PC application  42  will notify BIOS  43  to force a reboot by performing sent boot signal to BIOS  50 . BIOS  43  will receive send boot signal to BIOS  50  and in turn will notify current operating system  44  by performing send shut down to operating system  51 . 
     The current operating system  44  receives the shut down notification from BIOS  43  and performs its orderly shut down processing by performing operating system shuts down  52 . After current operating system  44  has finished shutting down, it notifies BIOS  43  by sending shut down complete 53 to BIOS  43 . BIOS  43  will receive notification of shut down complete and perform start boot loader for current OS  54 . This processing step reads the boot loader from the master boot record of internal storage device  17  into system memory  13  and starts it to executing. The boot loader performs boot loader reads &amp; processes current Boot Configuration Data base file  62 . This processing step loads sufficient software from the internal storage device  17  that will allow it to allow it to read the Boot Configuration Data base file from the internal storage device  17 . 
     Using the default entry for the operating system which is default operating system  38  in  FIG. 2B , the software will perform BIOS reads boot loader from attached storage device  86  which reads the boot loader from attached storage device  20  into system memory  13 . After the boot loader from attached storage device  20  has been read into system memory  13  BIOS  43  will perform start boot loader executing  57 . At this point, attached storage device boot loader  46  will perform load attached operating system  58  which reads those portions of the operating system residing on attached storage device  20  that are required to load the full operating system. Once the operating system has been loaded into system memory  13 , attached storage device boot loader  46  will send start attached operating system executing  59  to attached operating system  45 . This processing step starts attached operating system  45  executing which performs attached operating system starts  60 . At this point the operating system that is resident on attached storage device  20  is booted up and running. 
     Although the invention has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological steps, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or steps described. 
     Rather, the specific features and steps are disclosed as preferred forms of implementing the claimed invention. 
     Equivalent elements can be substituted for the ones set forth above such that they perform in substantially the same manner in substantially the same way for achieving substantially the same result. 
     Also, the inventors intend that only those claims which use the words “means for” are intended to be interpreted under 35 USC 112, sixth paragraph. Moreover, no limitations from the specification are intended to be read into any claims, unless those limitations are expressly included in the claims. 
     The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein, may be implemented or performed with a general purpose processor, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, micro controller, or state machine. The processor can be part of a computer system that also has a user interface port that communicates with a user interface, and which receives commands entered by a user, has at least one memory (e.g., hard drive or other comparable storage, and random access memory) that stores electronic information including a program that operates under control of the processor and with communication via the user interface port, and a video output that produces its output via any kind of video output format, e.g., VGA, DVI, HDMI, display port, or any other form. 
     When operated on a computer, the computer may include a processor that operates to accept user commands, execute instructions and produce output based on those instructions. The processor is preferably connected to a communication bus. The communication bus may include a data channel for facilitating information transfer between storage and other peripheral components of the computer system. The communication bus further may provide a set of signals used for communication with the processor, including a data bus, address bus, and/or control bus. 
     The communication bus may comprise any standard or nonstandard bus architecture such as, for example, bus architectures compliant with industry standard architecture (“ISA”), extended industry standard architecture (“EISA”), Micro Channel Architecture (“MCA”), peripheral component interconnect (“PCI”) local bus, or any old or new standard promulgated by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (“IEEE”) including IEEE 488 general-purpose interface bus (“GPIB”), and the like. 
     A computer system used according to the present application preferably includes a main memory and may also include a secondary memory. The main memory provides storage of instructions and data for programs executing on the processor. The main memory is typically semiconductor-based memory such as dynamic random access memory (“DRAM”) and/or static random access memory (“SRAM”). The secondary memory may optionally include a hard disk drive and/or a solid state memory and/or removable storage drive for example an external hard drive, thumb drive, a digital versatile disc (“DVD”) drive, etc. 
     At least one possible storage medium is preferably a computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable code (i.e., software) and/or data thereon in a non-transitory form. The computer software or data stored on the removable storage medium is read into the computer system as electrical communication signals. 
     The computer system may also include a communication interface. The communication interface allows&#39; software and data to be transferred between computer system and external devices (e.g. printers), networks, or information sources. For example, computer software or executable code may be transferred to the computer to allow the computer to carry out the functions and operations described herein. The computer system can be a network-connected server with a communication interface. The communication interface may be a wired network card, or a Wireless, e.g., Wifi network card. 
     Software and data transferred via the communication interface are generally in the form of electrical communication signals. 
     Computer executable code (i.e., computer programs or software) are stored in the memory and/or received via communication interface and executed as received. The code can be compiled code or interpreted code or website code, or any other kind of code. 
     A “computer readable medium” can be any media used to provide computer executable code (e.g., software and computer programs and website pages), e.g., hard drive, USB drive or other. The software, when executed by the processor, preferably causes the processor to perform the inventive features and functions previously described herein. 
     A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. These devices may also be used to select values for devices as described herein. 
     The steps of a method or algorithm described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor, or in a combination of the two. A software module may reside in Random Access Memory (RAM), flash memory, Read Only Memory (ROM), Electrically Programmable ROM (EPROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM (EEPROM), registers, hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor such that the processor can read information from, and write information to, the storage medium. In the alternative, the storage medium may be integral to the processor. The processor and the storage medium may reside in an ASIC. The ASIC may reside in a user terminal. In the alternative, the processor and the storage medium may reside as discrete components in a user terminal. 
     In one or more exemplary embodiments, the functions described may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software, the functions may be stored on or transmitted over as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media includes both computer storage media and communication media including any medium that facilitates transfer of a computer program from one place to another. A storage media may be any available media that can be accessed by a computer. By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer. The memory storage can also be rotating magnetic hard disk drives, optical disk drives, or flash memory based storage drives or other such solid state, magnetic, or optical storage devices. Also, any connection is properly termed a computer readable medium. For example, if the software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using a coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then the coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included in the definition of medium. Disk and disc, as used herein, includes compact disc (CD), laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc (DVD), floppy disk and blu-ray disc where disks usually reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically with lasers. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media. The computer readable media can be an article comprising a machine-readable non-transitory tangible medium embodying information indicative of instructions that when performed by one or more machines result in computer implemented operations comprising the actions described throughout this specification. 
     Operations as described herein can be carried out on or over a website. The website can be operated on a server computer, or operated locally, e.g., by being downloaded to the client computer, or operated via a server farm. The website can be accessed over a mobile phone or a PDA, or on any other client. The website can use HTML code in any form, e.g., MHTML, or XML, and via any form such as cascading style sheets (“CSS”) or other. 
     Also, the inventors intend that only those claims which use the words “means for” are intended to be interpreted under 35 USC 112, sixth paragraph. Moreover, no limitations from the specification are intended to be read into any claims, unless those limitations are expressly included in the claims. The computers described herein may be any kind of computer, either general purpose, or some specific purpose computer such as a workstation. The programs may be written in C, or Java, Brew or any other programming language. The programs may be resident on a storage medium, e.g., magnetic or optical, e.g. the computer hard drive, a removable disk or media such as a memory stick or SD media, or other removable medium. The programs may also be run over a network, for example, with a server or other machine sending signals to the local machine, which allows the local machine to carry out the operations described herein. 
     Where a specific numerical value is mentioned herein, it should be considered that the value may be increased or decreased by 20%, while still staying within the teachings of the present application, unless some different range is specifically mentioned. Where a specified logical sense is used, the opposite logical sense is also intended to be encompassed. 
     The previous description of the disclosed exemplary embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these exemplary embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.