Bios emulation of a hard file image as a diskette

Claim 2

A data processing system, comprising: a central processing unit (CPU); a system memory for storing data in the form of electrical signals; a first port for receiving an input device generating electrical input signals; at least one second port for supplying electrical output signals to output devices; a system bus interconnecting the CPU, the system memory, the first port and the at least one second port; a BIOS for carrying out prescribed functions including converting operating signals developed by an operating system executed by the CPU into electrical signals compatible with devices that are responsive to other signals applied by the CPU to the system bus; a drive for a non-volatile mass storage medium, connected to the system bus, storing multiple independent applications in the form of data on respective BIOS emulated images; and the BIOS includes programming to emulate a hard file image as a diskette image including a starting sector of a first hard file partition as a Partition Boot Record including a BIOS Parameter Block having physical parameters including a partition boot sector, hidden sectors, an IPL drive and an IPL head, wherein the BIOS programming: offsets a Logical Block Address to point to the Partition Boot Record corresponding to the starting sector of the first hard file partition; modifies the partition boot sector to refresh the physical parameters of the hard file emulated image; sets the number of hidden sectors in the BIOS Parameter Block to zero; sets the IPL drive in the BIOS Parameter Block to an emulated drive identification; and sets the IPL head in the BIOS Parameter Block to 00.

Claim 3

The data processing system of claim 1, wherein the BIOS includes programming to increase the number of root directory entries in the hard file image beyond that enabled by the operating system resident in the data processing system.

Claim 4

The data processing system of claim 1, wherein the non-volatile mass storage medium comprises a CD-ROM.

Claim 5

For a data processing system of a type comprising; a central processing unit (CPU), a system memory for storing data in the form of electrical signals, a first port for receiving an input device generating electrical input signals, at least one second port for supplying electrical output signals to output devices, a drive for a non-volatile mass storage medium storing multiple independent applications in the form of data on respective BIOS emulated images and a system bus interconnecting the CPU, system memory, first port and the at least one second port and mass storage medium driver: a BIOS for carrying out prescribed functions including converting operating signals developed by an operating system executed by the CPU into electrical signals compatible with devices that are responsive to other signals applied by the CPU to the system bus, the BIOS including programming to emulate a hard file image as a diskette image including a starting sector of a first had file partition as a Partition Boot Record including a BIOS Parameter Block having physical parameters including a partition boot sector, hidden sectors, an IPL drive and an IPL head, wherein the BIOS programming: offsets a Logical Block Address to point to the Partition Boot Record corresponding to the starting sector of the first hard file partition; modifies the partition boot sector to force the operating system to refresh the physical parameters of the hard file emulated image; sets the number of hidden sectors in the BIOS Parameter Block to zero corresponding to that of a diskette; sets the IPL drive in the BIOS Parameter Block to an emulated drive identification; and sets the IPL head in the BIOS Parameter Block to 00.

Claim 6

For a data processing system of a type comprising; a central processing unit (CPU), a system memory for storing data in the form of electrical signals, a first port for receiving an input device generating electrical input signals, at least one second port for supplying electrical output signals to output devices, a drive for a non-volatile mass storage medium storing multiple independent applications in the form of data on respective BIOS emulated images and a system bus interconnecting the CPU, system memory, first port and the at least one second port and mass storage medium driver: a BIOS for carrying out prescribed functions including converting operating signals developed by an operating system executed by the CPU into electrical signals compatible with devices that are responsive to other signals applied by the CPU to the system bus, the BIOS including programming to emulate a hard file image as a diskette image including a starting sector of a first had file partition as a Partition Boot Record including a BIOS Parameter Block having physical parameters including a partition boot sector, hidden sectors, an IPL drive and an IPL head, wherein the BIOS programming: offsets a Logical Block Address to point to the Partition Boot Record corresponding to the starting sector of the first hard file partition; modifies the partition boot sector to force the operating system to refresh the physical parameters of the hard file emulated image; sets the number of hidden sectors in the BIOS Parameter Block to zero corresponding to that of a diskette; sets the IPL drive in the BIOS Parameter Block to an emulated drive identification; and sets the IPL head in the BIOS Parameter Block to 00.

Claim 7

The data processing system of claim 4, wherein the non-volatile mass storage medium comprises a CD-ROM.

Claim 10

The method of claim 6, wherein the non-volatile mass storage medium comprises a CD-ROM.