Patent ID: 8799631

Claim:
A method of selecting an operating system to operate a single processor unit in a microprocessor based system comprising: monitoring the status of a switch that connects one of at least two power sources to said single processor unit; generating power source data bits that identify which power source of said at least two power sources is currently supplying power to said single processor unit; storing said power source data bits in a bit register; monitoring said power source data bits that are stored in said bit register to determine which power source is supplying power to said single processor unit; reading said power source data bits automatically during booting said single processor and when there is a change in status of said power source data bits; and, automatically selecting an operating system to operate said single processor unit in said microprocessor based system from a plurality of operating systems stored within a data storage device based upon said power source data bits that indicate which power source is currently supplying power to said single processor unit.