System, apparatus, and method for initiating a reboot of a personal computer system by pressing a button on an attached storage device and causing the operating system on the attached storage device to be booted

摘要

The present invention is an apparatus, system, and method for allowing a user to boot to an alternate operating system by pressing a single button on an externally attached storage device with a push button. The invention helps a user recover operational use of his computer system when the internal system drive suffers a software application or operating system failure. The invention consists of an attached storage device with a push button and supporting electronics capable of formatting and transmitting a recognizable data packet to the host computer and an application program in the host computer that can receive the data packet, process boot files, and force a reboot of the operating system with the attached storage device as the boot device.

主权项

1. A personal computer system comprising:
a BIOS; a processor, having programming for restarting a personal computer operating system; an internal system storage device designated as a primary storage device, said internal storage device having at least a first bootable operating system; a first external data bus to which at least one external peripheral is attached; a first software application program that processes data received over the said first external data bus and processes at least one boot configuration file contained on said primary storage device; said first software application program operable to force a restart of the first bootable operating system based on a received command received over said first external data bus; said first software application program reading and editing a changeable boot configuration file present on said primary storage device to command a default operating system identified by said changeable boot configuration file to be a first device attached to said first external data bus responsive to receiving said received command over said first external data bus, and to programmatically force a reboot of the said personal computer system, where said reboot causes said BIOS to read from the changeable boot file, and where, due to the changes said first software application program made to said changeable boot configuration file, said reboot uses an operating system resident on said first device attached to said first external data bus.