System for executing utility programs while preserving the state of a native operating system

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1 wherein the suspend-to-disk (S2D) operation comprises the steps of: loading the total content of a computer system random access memory (RAM); writing the loaded RAM to the storage device; and writing processor state variables to the storage device.

Claim 4

A method according to claim 2 wherein the processor state variables are selected from a group of state variables including: an instruction pointer (EIP); general register values; special register values; device state parameters; and application program status.

Claim 5

A method according to claim 1 wherein the storage device is a magnetic hard disk.

Claim 6

A method according to claim 1 wherein the suspend-to-disk (S2D) operation saves the current operating state of the native operating system to a utility partition of a hard disk.

Claim 7

A method according to claim 1 wherein the suspend-to-disk (S2D) operation saves the current operating state of the native operating system to a space of a hard disk outside the normal file system.

Claim 8

A method according to claim 1 wherein the suspend-to-disk (S2D) operation saves the current operating state of the native operating system to sectors of a hard disk designated by a vector of hard disk sector identifiers.

Claim 9

A method according to claim 1 wherein the suspend-to-disk (S2D) operation saves the current operating state of the native operating system to a partition of a hard disk created using a make partition step.

Claim 12

A method according to claim 9 further comprising the step of: invoking a system bootstrap operation subsequent to the executing step and preceding the restoring step.

Claim 13

A method according to claim 9 wherein the suspend-to-disk (S2D) operation comprises the steps of: loading the total content of a computer system random access memory (RAM); writing the loaded RAM to the storage device; and writing processor state variables to the storage device.

Claim 14

A method according to claim 10 wherein the processor state variables are selected from a group of state variables including: an instruction pointer (EIP); general register values; special register values; device state parameters; and application program status.

Claim 15

A method according to claim 9 wherein the storage device is a magnetic hard disk.

Claim 16

A method according to claim 9 wherein the suspend-to-disk (S2D) operation saves the current operating state of the native operating system to a utility partition of a hard disk.

Claim 17

A method according to claim 9 wherein the suspend-to-disk (S2D) operation saves the current operating state of the native operating system to a space of a hard disk outside the normal file system.

Claim 18

A method according to claim 9 wherein the suspend-to-disk (S2D) operation saves the current operating state of the native operating system to sectors of a hard disk designated by a vector of hard disk sector identifiers.

Claim 19

A method according to claim 9 wherein the suspend-to-disk (S2D) operation saves the current operating state of the native operating system to a partition of a hard disk created using a make partition step.

Claim 20

A utility program operating on a computer system operating under control of a native operating system that limits program access to computer system resources the computer system having a processor, a memory and a hard disk drive, the utility program comprising: an interactive routine which selects a utility routine for execution; a utility designation routine responsive to the interactive routine which designates the selected utility routine for activation; a suspend-to-disk routine which saves a current operating state of the native operating system to a storage device and suspends operation of the native operating system so that program access to computer system resources is allowed; a utility routine including operations accessing computer system resources having access limited by the native operating system; a boot routine which invokes a system bootstrap operation; and a resume-from-disk (RFD) routine responsive to the bootstrap operation which restores the saved operating state of the native operating system and reinstates operation of the native operating system.

Claim 21

A utility program operating on a computer system operating under control of a native operating system that limits program access to computer system resources the computer system having a processor, a memory and a hard disk drive, the utility program comprising: an interactive routine which selects a utility routine for execution; a utility designation routine responsive to the interactive routine which designates the selected utility routine for activation; a suspend-to-disk routine which saves a current operating state of the native operating system to a storage device and suspends operation of the native operating system so that program access to computer system resources is allowed; a utility routine including operations accessing computer system resources having access limited by the native operating system; a boot routine which invokes a system bootstrap operation; and a resume-from-disk (RFD) routine responsive to the bootstrap operation which restores the saved operating state of the native operating system and reinstates operation of the native operating system.

Claim 22

A utility program operating on a computer system operating under control of a native operating system that limits program access to computer system resources, the computer system having a processor, a memory and a hard disk drive, the utility program comprising: means for selecting a utility routine for execution; means for designating the selected utility routine for activation; a suspend-to-disk routine which saves a current operating state of the native operating system to a storage device and suspends operation of the native operating system so that program access to computer system resources is allowed; a utility routine including operations accessing computer system resources having access limited by the native operating system; means for invoking a system bootstrap operation; and a resume-from-disk (RFD) routine responsive to the bootstrap operation which restores the saved operating state of the native operating system and reinstates operation of the native operating system.

Claim 23

A utility program operating on a computer system operating under control of a native operating system that limits program access to computer system resources, the computer system having a processor, a memory and a hard disk drive, the utility program comprising: means for selecting a utility routine for execution; means for designating the selected utility routine for activation; a suspend-to-disk routine which saves a current operating state of the native operating system to a storage device and suspends operation of the native operating system so that program access to computer system resources is allowed; a utility routine including operations accessing computer system resources having access limited by the native operating system; means for invoking a system bootstrap operation; and a resume-from-disk (RFD) routine responsive to the bootstrap operation which restores the saved operating state of the native operating system and reinstates operation of the native operating system.

Claim 24

A method according to claim 1 wherein program is a utility routine that accesses computer system resources for which access is limited by the native operating system.

Claim 25

A computer program product comprising: a computer usable medium having computable readable code embodied therein including program codes for performing the method according to claim 1.

Claim 26

A computer system comprising: a processor; a memory coupled to the processor; a hard disk drive coupled to the processor, the hard disk driver for storing and the processor for executing a utility program including a computer usable medium having computable readable code embodied therein including program codes for performing the method according to claim 1.

Claim 27

A method according to claim 9 wherein program is a utility routine that accesses computer system resources for which access is limited by the native operating system.

Claim 28

A computer program product comprising: a computer usable medium having computable readable code embodied therein including program codes for performing the method according to claim 9.

Claim 29

A computer system comprising: a processor; a memory coupled to the processor; and a hard disk drive coupled to the processor, the hard disk driver for storing and the processor for executing a utility program including a computer usable medium having computable readable code embodied therein including program codes for performing the method according to claim 9.

Claim 30

A computer system comprising: a processor, a memory coupled to the processor; and a hard disk drive coupled to the processor, the hard disk driver for storing and the processor for executing the utility program according to claim 18.