Boot drive selection and hibernation file detection
US6115815A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 7, 1998 |
| Grant date | Sep 5, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 7, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F11/1417
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A multi-boot apparatus allows a portable computer to boot from a predetermined list of bootable data storage devices, even if the data storage devices have been relocated during operation. The computer system has a hard disk bay and multi-bay for accepting one or more data storage devices and/or battery packs. During initialization, the invention retrieves a previously entered IPL sequence from a configuration setup table stored in the nonvolatile RAM of the portable computer. Next, the invention queries each bay and determines the device connected to each bay, including the data storage device and the battery pack, if one is present. The invention then determines if a remapping of the data storage drives is necessary to ensure that the device at the beginning of the IPL order is the first drive in the BIOS boot sequence. If so, the invention remaps the drives such that the device is at the first drive in the BIOS boot sequence. After booting, the invention allows the user to modify the IPL sequence using a plug and play application programming interface (PnP API) and to enable/disable the multi-boot functionality if so desired. The invention also determines the disk drive containi…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.