Patent ID: 7555674

Claim:
A method of using a replication machine to replicate an existing computer into a target computer, wherein: the existing computer comprises an existing configuration and a working operating system disk 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 disk image corresponding to the existing computer, and a storage disk for storing an operating system disk image for the target computer; (c) replicating the entire operating system disk image corresponding to said existing computer into the target operating system disk image for said target computer on said storage disk, whereby said replicating of operating system disk image occurs on said replication machine that is not said existing computer nor said target computer; (d) connecting said storage disk from said replication machine to said target computer; (e) updating said replicated operating system disk to accommodate said difference; whereby said target computer will provide the same functions as said existing computer, whereby said replication 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.