Patent ID: 8213040

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising image processing hardware, a program for performing a process concerning image formation by using the image processing hardware, and a slot which a recording medium is inserted into and removed from, comprising: a recording medium starting part configured to mount a file system of the recording medium onto a first mount point by using the file system of the recording medium inserted into the slot and the first mount point indicating a mounting destination of the file system of the recording medium by an absolute path for the file system that designates a first directory in the image forming apparatus, recorded in a master setting file stored in the image forming apparatus; and a program starting part configured to store the first mount point, read a setting file from the mounted file system of the recording medium, acquire a first absolute path for a mount target from a file system in the image forming apparatus by combining a relative path written in the setting file and said first mount point when the mount target recorded in the setting file is indicated by the relative path designating a directory in the recording medium, acquire a second mount point indicating a mounting destination of the mount target recorded in the setting file by a second absolute path for the mount target that designates a second directory in the image forming apparatus, mount said second absolute path for the mount target onto the second mount point, and start a program in the recording medium.