Patent ID: 8171272

Claim:
A computer implemented method for ensuring that drivers for critical hardware devices are present in a pre-OS prior to booting, the method comprising the steps of: ensuring, by a computer, that files comprising a pre-OS are available to a client computer on which the pre-OS is to be booted; identifying, by a computer, hardware devices that are physically present on the client computer on which the pre-OS is to be booted; classifying, by a computer, at least one identified hardware device as being a critical hardware device; detecting, by a computer, device drivers that are installed in the pre-OS; determining, by a computer, whether a device driver for each critical hardware device is installed in the pre-OS; and responsive to a device driver for at least one identified critical hardware device not being installed in the pre-OS, generating a report, by a computer, the generated report describing critical device drivers not installed in the pre-OS.