Method for automatically starting execution and ending execution of a process in a host device based on insertion and removal of a storage media into the host device

摘要

One embodiment of an autostart driver in the host device detects insertion of a storage media into a peripheral, searches for a file of a predetermined name in the storage media and automatically starts an application listed in instructions in the file. Another embodiment of the autostart driver looks for a file of the predetermined name in the host devices' permanently installed storage media prior to searching in the inserted storage media. When a previously inserted removable storage media is removed from the peripheral, the autostart driver ends the started application, restores the operator interface screens to a state existing prior to insertion and releases portions of random access memory that were used by the ended application. In one embodiment the autostart driver can automatically copy a new version of autostart driver software or other new software, such as word processors into the permanently installed storage media.