Patent ID: 7539899

Claim:
A method of using a cloning machine to clone an existing computer into a target computer wherein: the existing computer comprises an existing configuration and a working operating system software image; the target computer comprises a target configuration; and there is a difference between the existing configuration and the target configuration; the method comprising: (a) providing computer processor means for processing data; (b) providing computer storage means for storing the operating system software image corresponding to the existing computer, and a storage medium for storing an operating system software image for the target computer; (c) modifying a portion of the operating system software image corresponding to said existing computer into the target operating system software image for said target computer on said storage medium to accommodate said difference, whereby said modifying of operating system software image occurs on said cloning machine that is not said existing computer nor said target computer; (d) connecting said storage medium with said modified operating system software image from said cloning machine to said target computer; (e) upgrading software or data to accommodate said difference; whereby said target computer will provide the same functions as said existing computer, whereby said cloning machine is for use in one or more of the uses in the group consisting of computer disaster recovery, computer upgrade, computer testing, computer migration, and computer installation.