`McGill, III et al.
`
`||||||||||
`US005469573A
`11) Patent Number:
`5,469,573
`45) Date of Patent:
`Nov. 21, 1995
`
`54)
`
`OSK OPERATING SYSTEM BACKUP AND
`RECOVERY SYSTEM
`
`(T5)
`
`73
`
`21)
`22)
`51
`52)
`
`(58)
`
`Inventors: James K. McGill, II, Dover, Dorotea
`Abele, Sutton; Lonnie L. Colman,
`Natick, Manuel Gonsalves, Brookline;
`Sanjeev Saxena, Millbury, all of Mass.
`Assignee: Sytron Corporation, Westboro, Mass.
`
`Appl. No.: 23,091
`Filed:
`Feb. 26, 1993
`Int. Cl. ....................... G06F 11/14
`U.S. C. ....................... 395/700; 364/280; 364/280.2;
`364/280.3; 364/DIG. 1
`Field of Search ..................................... 395/700, 650,
`395/575
`
`56)
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`1/1985 Angelle et al. ......................... 395/700
`4,493,034
`5,133,065 7/1992 Chefetz et al. ........................ 395/575
`5,134,580 7/1992 Bertram et al. ......................... 395/650
`5,142,680 8/1992 Ottman et al. .......................... 395/700
`5,155,833 10/1992 Cullison et al. ........................ 395/425
`5,157,663 10/1992 Major et al. ............................. 37119.1
`5,210,875 5/1973 Bealkowski et al. ................... 395/700
`5,212,772 5/1993 Masters ................................... 395/200
`5,269,022 12/1993 Shinjo et al. ........................... 395/700
`
`l/1994 Thorpe .................................... 395/575
`5,276,865
`Primary Examiner-Kevin A. Kriess
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault
`57
`ABSTRACT
`This invention features a data backup procedure and appa
`ratus for backing up and restoring, or otherwise loading a
`fully configured operating system to the high capacity
`storage device (e.g., hard disk) of a computer workstation,
`such as a personal computer. The method includes providing
`a first media having the desired operating system files to be
`loaded onto the storage device, providing a second media
`having configuration-specific data files, initializing the data
`processing system from the second media to provide a
`temporary operating system using the configuration-specific
`data files, loading the desired operating system files from the
`first media to the storage device using the temporary oper
`ating system, and reinitializing the data processing system
`with the desired operating system from the storage device.
`Embodiments of the method include providing the first
`media by copying the desired operating system files, or all
`the files, stored on the storage device to the first media. The
`copying can be achieved by running a data backup routine.
`Other embodiments include providing the configuration
`specific data files to the second media by copying the
`configuration-specific data files from the storage device to
`the second media.
`
`33 Claims, 8 Drawing Sheets
`
`BACKUP (OR OPTICAL
`DISK)
`TAPE
`52
`
`18
`
`20 neSYS. CFG
`DRIVERS
`22 APPLICATION
`FILES
`
`
`
`HD
`
`
`
`
`
`OS INSTALL
`DISKETTE
`
`52
`
`RECOVERY E8 (BOOTABLE
`
`55
`
`
`
`RECOVERY
`APPLICATION
`PROGRAM
`
`IPR2020-01288
`Sony EX1032 Page 1
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`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 21, 1995
`
`Sheet 1 of 8
`
`5,469,573
`
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`IPR2020-01288
`Sony EX1032 Page 2
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`
`IPR2020-01288
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`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 21, 1995
`
`Sheet 2 of 8
`
`5,469,573
`
`BACKUP (OR OPTICAL
`TAPE
`DISK)
`52
`
`52
`
`RECOVERY SES
`
`(BOOTABLE
`
`55
`
`
`
`RECOVERY
`APPLICATION
`PROGRAM
`
`
`
`
`
`is
`
`.
`
`.
`
`.
`
`A
`
`to
`
`b
`
`sh as sm amo am swu as
`
`22 APPLICATION
`FILES
`
`
`
`HD
`
`
`
`
`
`OS NSTALL
`DISKETTE
`
`FIG. 2
`
`IPR2020-01288
`Sony EX1032 Page 3
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`
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 21, 1995
`
`Sheet 3 of 8
`
`5,469,573
`
`OO
`
`FIG. 5
`
`LOAD AND
`CONFIGURE
`PC
`
`
`
`RUN FULL
`BACK-UP
`OPERATION
`
`(FIG. 5). A
`
`103
`
`TAPE BACKUP
`MEDIA
`AVAILABLE
`
`102
`
`104
`
`106
`
`108
`
`COPY OS
`CONFIG. FILES
`TO "RECOVERY
`DISKETTE"
`
`COPY SYSTEM
`CONFIG. FILES
`TO "RECOVERY
`DISKETTE"
`
`COPY DRIVER
`FILES TO
`"RECOVERY DISKETTE"
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`110
`
`112
`
`COPY OS
`INSTALLATION
`FILES TO
`"RECOVERY DISKETTE"
`
`RECOVERY
`DISKETTE
`AVAILABLE
`
`IPR2020-01288
`Sony EX1032 Page 4
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`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 21, 1995
`
`Sheet 4 of 8
`
`5,469,573
`
`2OO
`
`
`
`INSERT
`BACK-UP TAPE
`NTO DRIVE
`
`2O2
`
`204
`
`2O6
`
`208
`
`21 O
`
`BOOT PC
`FROM
`"RECOVERY
`DISKETTE"
`
`RUN
`RECOVERY
`PROGRAM
`
`RECOVER OS
`FILES FROM
`BACKUP TAPE
`
`REBOOT PC
`FROM HARD
`DRIVE
`
`RESTORE
`HARD DRME
`FROM BACKUP
`TAPES
`FIG. 4
`
`IPR2020-01288
`Sony EX1032 Page 5
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`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 21, 1995
`
`She 5 of 8
`
`5,469,573
`
`3OO
`
`LOAD AND
`CONFIGURE
`PC
`
`RUN FULL
`BACK UP
`OPERATION
`
`3O2
`
`JOS
`
`TAPE BACKUP
`MEDIA
`AVAILABLE
`
`3O4.
`
`306
`
`3O8
`
`COPY LATEST
`VERSION OF
`FDISK.COM TO
`"RECOVERY DISKETTE"
`
`INSERT BLANK
`DISKETTE MAKE
`DIRECTORY FOR
`EACH OS/2 VER.
`
`
`
`COPY EACH OS/2
`VERSION OF FORMAT.COM
`AND VHPFS.DLL TO
`APPROPRIATE DIRECTORY
`
`(FIG. 3)
`
`FIG. 5
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`IPR2020-01288
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`
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 21, 1995
`4O2
`
`Sheet 6 of 8
`
`5,469,573
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`4O4.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`4O6
`
`YES
`
`BOOT PC
`WITH LATEST
`OS/2 VERSION
`
`INSERT
`RECOVERY
`DISKETTE
`
`PARTITION
`DRIVE
`
`
`
`4.18
`
`BOOT PC
`WTH EARLER
`OS/2 VERSION
`
`w
`
`FORMAT
`DRIVE
`
`YES
`
`424
`
`RUN FDISKCOM
`
`NSAL BOOT
`MANAGER
`
`RECREATE
`PARTITIONS
`
`CONFIGURE TO
`BOOT FROM
`C:
`
`450
`
`INSERT BACK UP
`TAPE OF AN
`EARLIER OS/2
`VERSION
`
`RUN, RECOVERY
`PROGRAM
`
`NSERT DISKETTE
`WITH FORMA.COM
`UTILITY
`(EARLY VERSION)
`
`RUN FORMATCOM
`FOR EARLIER
`OS/2 VERSION
`
`454
`
`FIG. 6A
`
`41 O
`
`412
`
`414
`
`416
`
`426
`
`428
`
`IPR2020-01288
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 21, 1995
`
`Sheet 7 of 8
`
`5,469,573
`
`456
`
`REBOOT PC
`WITH LATER
`VERSION OF OS/2
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`458
`FORMAT OTHER YES
`THAN EARLER
`VERSION?
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`NSERT DISKETTE
`WTH FORMAT.COM
`UTILITY
`(LATER VERSION)
`
`INSERT FULL
`SYSTEM BACK UP
`TAPE
`
`
`
`RUN FORMAT.COM
`FOR LATER
`VERSION
`
`444
`
`RUN RECOVERY
`PROGRAM
`
`FIG. 6B
`
`IPR2020-01288
`Sony EX1032 Page 8
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 21, 1995
`
`Sheet 8 of 8
`
`5,469,573
`
`5OO
`
`502
`71.
`
`506
`
`LOAD AND
`CONFIGURE
`MODE. PC
`
`RUN FULL
`BACK UP
`OPERATION
`
`COPY OS CONFIG,
`SYSTEM CONFIG,
`AND DRMER FILES
`TO "RECOVER
`DISKETTE"
`
`504
`
`FIG. 7
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`MEDIA
`AVAILABLE FOR
`LOADING
`OPERATIONS
`
`INSERT Back up
`MEDIA INTO
`DRIVE ATTACHED
`TO TARGET PC
`
`BOOT TARGET
`PC FROM
`"RECOVERY
`DISKETTE
`
`508
`
`510
`
`512
`
`516
`
`CHECK COPY
`COUNTER ON
`"RECOVER
`DISKETTE
`
`
`
`END PROCESS;
`Fe DISPLAY MESSAGE
`"NO MORE COPIES
`AVAILABLE"
`514
`
`
`
`oAD HARD
`DRIVE OF
`TARGET PC FROM
`BACK UP MEDIA
`
`520
`
`522
`
`DECREMENT COPY
`COUNTER
`
`IPR2020-01288
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`
`
`1.
`DISK OPERATING SYSTEM BACKUP AND
`RECOVERY SYSTEM
`
`5,469,573
`
`2
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`The present invention provides a data backup procedure
`and apparatus for backing up and restoring, or otherwise
`loading a fully configured operating system to the high
`capacity storage device (e.g., hard disk) of a computer
`workstation, such as a personal computer. The invention
`quickly restores the operating system to the workstation
`from standard system backup media, such as magnetic
`backup tapes, without the need to reload and reconfigure the
`operating system from its original distribution media. The
`operating system can be restored regardless of whether the
`high capacity storage device has been reformatted, reparti
`tioned, or otherwise replaced with an equivalent device. The
`present invention can also be used to efficiently factory load
`a fully configured operating system, and application soft
`ware, into similarly configured workstations on a production
`line.
`In general, in one aspect, this invention features a method
`for recovering or loading a desired operating system onto a
`storage device of a data processing system. The method
`includes providing a first media having the desired operating
`system files to be loaded onto the storage device, providing
`a second media having configuration-specific data files,
`initializing the data processing system from the second
`media to provide a temporary operating system using the
`configuration-specific data files, loading the desired operat
`ing system files from the first media to the storage device
`using the temporary operating system, and reinitializing the
`data processing system with the desired operating system
`from the storage device.
`Preferred embodiments of the method include providing
`the first media by copying the desired operating system files,
`or all the files, stored on the storage device to the first media.
`The copying can be achieved by running a data backup
`routine. Other preferred embodiments include providing the
`configuration-specific data files to the second media by
`copying the configuration-specific data files from the storage
`device to the second media.
`In yet other preferred embodiments, the second media is
`a removable, floppy diskette, the storage device is a hard
`disk drive, and the first media is a magnetic backup tape.
`In still other preferred embodiments, the configuration
`specific data files include system configuration files, oper
`ating system configuration files, and device drivers. The
`device drivers specifically include device drivers for using a
`tape backup device for reading the magnetic backup tape.
`In yet other preferred embodiments, the method includes
`initializing the storage device prior to the step of loading the
`desired operating system files from the first media to the
`storage device. Initializing includes formatting and parti
`tioning the storage device. A different desired operating
`system can be loaded from the first media to each partition
`of the storage device. Each partition is formatted using a
`format command and procedure specific to the particular
`desired operating system to be loaded into that partition.
`In general, in another aspect, the invention features a
`method for loading a desired operating system onto a hard
`disk drive of a target data processing system, including
`configuring a hard disk drive of a model data processing
`system with the desired configuration for the target data
`processing system, copying the desired operating system
`files stored on the hard disk drive of the model data
`processing system to a first media, copying configuration
`specific data files from the hard disk drive of the model data
`processing system to a second media, initializing the target
`data processing system from the second media to provide a
`
`10
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`
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`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`The present invention relates to data backup and recovery
`on computer systems.
`Personal computer workstations, such as the IBM-com
`patible Personal Computer (PC), have become popular today
`for a wide variety of computing tasks. Each PC typically
`includes one or more internal high capacity hard disk drives,
`and operates under a disk operating system to control the
`internal operation of the PC. For IBM-compatible PC's,
`commonly used disk operating systems today are IBM OS/2
`(commercially available from IBM corporation), Microsoft
`MS-DOS, and Microsoft Windows 3.x (both commercially
`available from Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Wash.).
`The complexity of personal computers has increased
`dramatically in recent years. A wide variety of hardware and
`20
`software options are available today for configuring a per
`sonal computer, adding to their complexity. Complex com
`puter systems require similarly complex disk operating
`systems to support the wide variety of possible system
`hardware and software configurations available today.
`Because there are so many possible system configurations
`available, a typical operating system needs to be individu
`ally tailored for each personal computer system on which it
`is installed. This tailoring operation typically requires that a
`skilled technician spend several hours building the operating
`30
`system on the personal computer according to the desired
`system configuration. This process is typically repeated for
`each system built, even if the configuration of that system is
`identical to one previously built.
`Data stored on magnetic media disk drives, such as high
`capacity hard disks, are vulnerable to hazards such as "head
`crashes,” accidental exposure to magnetic fields, loss of
`power during data writing operations, unintentional refor
`matting or data overwriting, or other destructive forces
`which can cause stored data to be lost. Data can also be lost
`by software failure, user error, hard storage device failure, or
`even loss or theft of the storage media or device.
`Data backup systems, such as magnetic tape backup, are
`generally very useful for restoring corrupted or destroyed
`data files on the high capacity hard disk. However, these
`backup systems normally require that the disk operating
`system installed on the hard disk be intact and fully opera
`tional before data can be restored to the hard disk. A data loss
`affecting the operating system itself is typically not recov
`erable by using the tape backup system, and requires that the
`operating system be reloaded onto the hard disk and con
`figured anew. Where the operating system was "factory
`loaded,” reloading of the operating system onto the hard disk
`outside the factory may consume many hours of valuable
`user and technical support time.
`Data backup systems are known which restore high
`capacity hard disks from a digital image of that hard disk,
`i.e., on a media bit-mapped basis. This type of image
`restoration may be able to restore an operating system to
`fixed storage media since the operating system is simply
`some portion of the total image being restored. However,
`any reformat or repartition of the hard disk, which is
`typically required after a head crash or other problem
`affecting the integrity of the media, can change the under
`lying logical structure of the hard disk which may make it
`impossible to restore a digital image to the hard disk without
`losing data.
`
`40
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`3
`temporary operating system using the configuration-specific
`data files, and loading the desired operating system files
`from the first media to a hard disk drive of the target data
`processing system using the temporary operating system.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages
`of the invention will be apparent from the following more
`particular description of embodiments of the invention, as
`illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like
`reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the
`different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale,
`emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the prin
`ciples of the invention.
`FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of aPC workstation
`which utilizes the operating system recovery or loading
`features of this invention.
`FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the data storage
`media for implementing the operating system recovery or
`loading features of this invention.
`FIG.3 is a flow diagram showing the storage media setup
`done prior to implementing an operating system recover or
`load procedure of this invention.
`FIG. 4 is a flow diagram showing the implementation of
`an operating system recover or load procedure of this
`invention.
`FIG. 5 is a flow diagram showing the storage media setup
`done prior to implementing a multiple operating system
`recover or load procedure of this invention.
`FIG. 6 is a flow diagram showing the implementation of
`amultiple operating system recover or load procedure of this
`invention.
`FIG. 7 is a flow diagram showing the implementation of
`this invention for efficiently factory loading operating sys
`tems and application software into multiple data processing
`systems.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
`FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of a data processing
`system 10 which features the operating system recovery and
`loading of this invention. Data processing system 10
`includes a computer workstation 12 which can be, for
`instance, an IBM-compatible personal computer (PC) oper
`ating under a disk operating system. The disk operating
`system of the embodiment described herein is IBM OS/2
`(versions 1.2, 1.3.x, 2.0 and 2.x), but could also be Microsoft
`MS-DOS, Microsoft Windows 3.x, UNIX, or another oper
`ating system.
`Workstation 12 typically includes at least one high capac
`ity storage device 16, such as a non-volatile magnetic media
`hard disk drive, which stores files necessary to start (boot)
`and operate the workstation. These files include operating
`system files 18, system configuration files 20, device driver
`files 22, and any other files necessary to properly configure
`and operate the workstation.
`Workstation 12 also includes an interface 24 for connect
`ing to a backup data device 26 such as a magnetic tape drive,
`optical disk drive, or a secondary hard disk drive. The
`backup data device may be physically located within the
`workstation, or may be a separate device temporarily con
`nected to the workstation through a workstation data port 28,
`e.g. a parallel data port.
`Workstation 12 also typically includes a processor 30,
`such as an Intel 80x86 device connected to a local high
`
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`5,469,573
`
`4
`speed solid state memory 32 including read only memory
`(ROM) and random access memory (RAM). A high perfor
`mance backplane channel 34 can connect the processor 30 to
`various devices in the workstation including a user interface
`36, a video display adapter38 for driving a video display 40,
`a hard disk drive adapter 42 for communicating with hard
`disk drive 16, a tape drive adapter 44 for communicating
`with the backup tape drive device 26, and a data port
`interface 46 for communicating with a wide variety of
`devices such as modems and printers. Typically, each inter
`face and adapter device requires a specific software device
`driver 48 resident in memory 32 to operate the device in the
`configured workstation/operating system environment.
`In another embodiment of the present invention, the
`operating system is the IBM OS/2 installed onto an IBM
`compatible PC. Loading OS/2 onto the PC can take as long
`as three to five hours, involve as many as twenty-four
`diskettes which must be manually inserted into the PC when
`prompted by the installation program, and require the atten
`tion of a skilled computer operator. With the present inven
`tion, an entire OS/2 operating system, completely configured
`for the PC, can be loaded, or otherwise restored, onto the PC
`in under about ten minutes.
`FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing the data
`storage media for implementing the operating system recov
`ery or loading procedure of this invention. The PC hard disk
`drive 16 is first fully loaded and configured with operating
`system files 18, system configuration files 20, and device
`driver files 22. All the files stored on hard disk 16 are backed
`up to create one or more backup tapes 50, and device drivers
`22 are copied from hard disk 16 onto a bootable recovery
`diskette 52. Operating system installation files are copied
`from the original disks 54 distributed with the operating
`system to make the recovery diskette a bootable diskette.
`The recovery diskette also includes the recovery application
`program 55 of this invention for implementing the recovery
`and loading procedures. The recovery diskette can further
`include a text file which identifies the PC system the
`recovery diskette belongs to.
`To recover the fully configured operating system onto the
`hard disk 16, the PC system is started, or booted, from the
`bootable recovery diskette 52. The system configuration
`files 20 and device drivers 22 stored on the recovery diskette
`52 are used to configure the system and provide the neces
`sary device drivers to activate the PC devices, especially the
`backup tape drive 26. The operating system files 18, system
`configuration files 20 and device drivers 22 are then loaded
`from the backup tape 50 onto the hard disk 16 under control
`of a recovery diskette-loaded recovery application program.
`The PC can then be restarted from hard drive and any other
`backed up files can be restored to hard drive 32 from the
`backup tape 50.
`Depending on the type of operating system to be loaded
`onto the hard disk, the recovery diskette can actually be a set
`of several recovery diskettes, each diskette containing a
`particular sub-set of files. For instance, for IBM OS/2 v. 1.2,
`1.3x the recovery diskette set is actually made up of two
`recovery diskettes, one bootable disk containing a copy of
`the original OS/2 boot/install distribution disk files and some
`system configuration files, and the other diskette containing
`all executable files necessary to run the recovery or loading
`process and other required resource files. In contrast, for
`IBM OS/2 v. 2.0, 2.x the recovery diskette set includes up to
`four recovery diskettes, depending on the system configu
`ration. In this case, one bootable disk contains a direct copy
`of the original boot disk distributed with the OS/2 v. 2.0, 2.x.
`Another disk contains modified copy of the OS/2 v. 2.0, 2.x
`
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`15
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`20
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`30
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`25
`
`S
`"Install' disk (minus some files, plus configuration info
`files). A third disk contains all executable files necessary to
`run the recovery or loading process of this invention, and
`other resource files. Yet a fourth disk containing format
`information is required if multiple versions of OS/2, with the
`OS/2 boot manager, are to be recovered or loaded into the
`hard disk.
`The number of recovery diskettes required is a function of
`the method in which the operating system is distributed,
`rather than by the requirements of the load or restore
`procedure of this invention. Thus, these recovery diskette
`sets will be referred to herein as the recovery diskette for
`simplicity, referring to removable media which is bootable,
`and contains all the needed operating system, system con
`figuration, device driver, and recovery application program
`files.
`FIG. 3 is a flow diagram showing preparation steps
`performed prior to implementation of the operating system
`recovery and loading procedure of this invention. Prior to
`performing a recovery or loading operation with this inven
`tion, a PC is fully loaded and configured (100) as desired
`with the operating system, device drivers, configuration
`files, and application software including a tape backup
`program. The tape backup program should be capable of
`backing up the entire system in a manner where individual
`data files can be retrieved from the backup media and
`restored to the hard drive, rather than requiring a restoration
`of the entire image of the hard drive. One suitable backup
`program is Sytos Plus, which is commercially available
`from Sytron Corporation, 134 Flanders Road, Westboro,
`Mass. 01581, the assignee of the present application.
`Next, a partial or full backup (102) of the PC hard disk is
`made to create a restorable backup media set (103) contain
`ing a copy of any or all files currently residing on the PC
`hard disk, including all operating system files, configuration
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`files, and device drivers. This backup media set will be used
`as the source for the operating system subsequently loaded
`or restored onto the PC hard drive.
`Next, a recovery diskette is prepared from the fully
`configured PC by copying various files from the hard disk
`onto the recovery diskette, which essentially define the
`current PC configuration. These copied files include vital
`operating system configuration files (104), system configu
`ration files (106), and device drivers (108) which are
`required for the proper operation of the hardware, operating
`system, and attached devices. The most important device
`driver is the backup device driver, e.g., backup tape drive
`device driver, which must be available to activate the backup
`tape drive during the recovery or loading operation.
`For instance, in one embodiment of the present invention,
`the copied files include various OS/2 operating system files,
`CONFIG.SYS, and various device drivers such as SCSI
`.SYS (IBM OS/2 versions prior to 2.0), ASPI4OS2.SYS
`(IBM OS/2 versions prior to 2.0), TAPE.TSD (MS OS/2
`LADDR), *.BID (MS OS/2 LADDR), *.ADD (IBM OS/2
`2.0), and any backup device drivers.
`Operating system installation files are copied (110) from
`the "Installation” diskette, distributed with the original oper
`ating system distribution diskettes, to the recovery diskette.
`The recovery diskette also includes an application program
`for implementing the loading or recovery procedure of this
`invention, and an application program capable of recovering
`the operating system files from the backup media onto the
`hard disk of the PC.
`FIG. 4 is a flow diagram showing implementation of the
`operating system recovery and loading procedure of this
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`invention. After a hard disk error affecting the operating
`system, the PC typically will be incapable of starting (i.e.,
`booting) from the hard disk. Operating system errors will
`typically result in unreliable operation. Hard disk crashes
`and other problems that affect the physical hard drive media
`often require that the hard drive be reformatted and/or
`repartitioned. In either of these cases, the operating system
`of the PC needs to be restored to the hard disk before normal
`hard disk operation of the PC can resume.
`To begin the recovery process, the operator inserts (200)
`the backup tape containing the operating system files to be
`restored into the PC tape drive. Next, the operator starts (i.e.,
`boots) (202) the PC from the recovery diskette which loads
`an initial, temporary operating system into the memory of
`the PC. The recovery diskette also supplies this initial
`operating system with the necessary system configuration
`files and device drivers, i.e., the files previously copied to the
`recovery diskette from the fully configured PC.
`In this embodiment, the system is started from the recov
`ery diskette, which includes a copy of the files on the OS/2
`Installation diskette distributed with the OS/2 operating
`system. Alternatively, the system can be started directly
`from the OS/2 Installation diskette and the recovery diskette
`is then inserted into the floppy disk drive when the instal
`lation process prompts the user for the next diskette.
`Next, a recovery program is loaded from the recovery
`diskette into the PC and run (204) to directly recover (206)
`the operating system files from the backup tape. Other files
`on the backup tape can also be restored to the PC by the
`recovery program. Finally, the PC is rebooted 208 from the
`recovered operating system files now installed on the hard
`disk, and the hard drive can be further restored (210) from
`the backup tape if necessary.
`In the case of a PC functioning as a file server on a
`network, restoration is somewhat modified. In this case, both
`the PC operating system, the Network operating system, and
`data files are restored from the backup tape to the hard drive
`of the server by the recovery program. Access Control Lists
`(ACLs), associated with each data file to define network
`user access to the data file, might not be restorable at the
`same time as the operating systems and data files. This
`typically occurs because the ACL's for the data files cannot
`be restored until the server is started, and the server cannot
`be started until the operating systems are restored. To
`address this situation, the operating systems are restored first
`by the recovery program, the server is restarted, and the
`recovery program is run again. During the second running of
`the recovery program, the recovery program restores only
`the ACL's from the backup tape to fully restore the server.
`FIG. 5 is a flow diagram showing an embodiment of the
`setup procedure of this invention where the PC features
`multiple versions of IBM OS/2 on various hard drive
`partitions. This typically occurs where an older and a newer
`version of the operating system are needed to be simulta
`neously present on the same PC. In such a case, the hard
`drive is partitioned into separate logical drives, each sup
`porting a different version of the OS/2 operating system.
`As in the single operating system case, the PC is first
`loaded and configured (300) and a full backup operation
`(302) is run to generate a set of backup tape media (303).
`Next, the latest version of the “fix disk” FDISK.COMutility
`is copied (304) from the hard disk to the recovery diskette.
`A "spare” diskette is then inserted (306) into the PC and
`a directory is setup on this spare diskette for each version of
`OS/2 present on the hard disk. That is, one directory for each
`partition. Next, the FORMATCOM and UHPFS.DLL files
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`from each OS/2 version is copied (308) from the hard drive
`into the corresponding OS/2 directory of the spare diskette.
`The remainder of the setup procedure proceeds as shown in
`FIG. 3 beginning with copying the operating system con
`figuration files (104) to the recovery diskette.
`FIG. 6 is a flow diagram showing an embodiment of the
`invention for restoring multiple versions of the IBM OS/2
`operating system onto the PC. First, the PC is booted (402)
`with the latest version of the OS/2 operating system to be
`restored on the system. This can be accomplished, for
`instance, by booting the system from the appropriate OS/2
`installation diskette.
`Next, the recovery diskette (404) containing the necessary
`system configuration files and device drivers is inserted into
`the PC. The operator then determines if the hard drive being
`restored is to be partitioned (406). If partitioning is desired
`(408), then the FDISK.COM program is run (410), the
`standard OS/2 boot manager program is invoked (412), and
`the desired partitions (414) are recreated on the hard drive.
`When recreating partitions, the new partitions should be at
`least as large as the original partitions when the backup tape
`of the partition was made. The system is then configured by
`the boot manager (416) to boot from the C: disk drive.
`Whether the hard disk was repartitioned (406) or not
`(418), the PC is next booted (420) with the earlier version of
`OS/2 to be restored on the system. Thus, if partitioning was
`desired, the hard drive has now been partitioned using the
`most recent OS/2 partitioning utilities.
`Next, the operator determines whether or not to format
`(422) the hard drive prior partitions to restoring the operat
`ing system to that partition. If formatting of the partition is
`desired (424), the spare diskette containing the FORMAT
`.COM utility for the earlier OS/2 version is inserted (426)
`into the PC. This file is found in the diskette directory
`corresponding to the earlier OS/2 version. The FORMAT
`.COM program is run (428) to format the partition corre
`sponding to the earlier OS/2 version format process.
`Whether the hard disk was reformatted (424) or not (430),
`the backup tape containing the earlier OS/2 version is
`inserted (432) into the system backup tape drive and the
`recovery program (434) is run to recover the earlier OS/2
`version onto the hard disk.
`Next, the PC is rebooted (436) with the later OS/2 version,
`and the operator determines (438) whether to format the
`hard disk partition prior to restoring this OS/2 version to that
`partition. If formatting is desired (440), the spare diskette
`containing the FORMATCOM utility for this later OS/2
`version is inserted (442) into the PC. This file is found in the
`diskette directory corresponding to the particular OS/2 ver
`sion. The FORMATCOM program is run (444) to format the
`partition corresponding to the later OS/2 version format
`process.
`Whether the hard disk was reformatted (440) or not (446),
`the backup tape containing the later OS/2 version is inserted
`(448) into the system backup tape drive and the recovery
`program is run (450) to restore the later OS/2 version to the
`hard drive.
`FIG. 7 is a flow diagram showing one embodiment of the
`invention for efficiently factory loading multiple PC's with
`operating sys