Methods and apparatus for booting a computer having a removable media disk drive
US5694600A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 9, 1996 |
| Grant date | Dec 2, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 9, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F9/4406
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Method and apparatus are disclosed for booting a computer from a removable media disk drive. The method and apparatus are suited to an environment in which the removable media disk drive is configured as the first fixed disk drive in the computer. The removable media drive responds to testing during the power-up as if it contains media, whether or not media is present. Thus, the removable media drive is recognized by the BIOS. Additionally, a substitute master boot record is provided to the computer from a Read-Only Memory device contained on the removable media drive in response to a request for the master boot record of the media. Control of the boot sequence is thereby gained. The substitute master boot record loads a boot program that allows booting from any media or physical disk drive independent of the CMOS configuration.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.