Patent ID: 8516233

Claim:
A computer implemented method for dynamically determining the contents of a boot logical volume from within a system management service menu, the method comprising: receiving a scan request, wherein the scan request is received from within the system management service menu, wherein the system management service menu is a basic firmware user interface provided as part of a basic input/output system of a data processing system; responsive to receiving a scan request, dynamically scanning at least one root volume group to identify a first set of special files associated with a first base operating system stored on a first boot logical volume of the at least one root volume group, wherein the first set of special files is associated with one of a particular hardware device or resource of the data processing system, wherein the first base operating system uses first set of special files to provide file input/output access to a first set of specific character device drivers, a first set of block device drivers, or combinations thereof; responsive to identifying the first set of special files, mapping the first set of special files to a first operating systems version corresponding to the first base operating system; and presenting the first operating systems version corresponding to the first base operating system to a user.