US6438749B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and system for restoring a computer to its original state after an unsuccessful patch installation attempt
Assignee: Zhigu Holdings Ltd
•
Filing: 1999-03-03
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Granted: 2002-08-20
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Expires: 2019-03-03
Abstract
Abstract A system, method and computer-readable medium for creating patch rollback scripts for operations performed by an installer program module. A patch rollback script may be used to reverse an action of an installer program module so that a user's machine is restored to its original state, i.e., the state before the installer program module began performing patch operations. In performing patch operations, the installer program module typically generates patch installation script records of specific actions that are to be performed to a particular machine with regard to patch installation data. During the processing of each patch installation script record, an inverse record is created, known as a patch rollback script record. When installing or modifying a file, if there is no file with the same name in the same location stored on the machine, a patch rollback script record describing how to delete the file is stored. However, if an old file stored in the same location does exist, the old file is backed up to another location and a patch rollback script record is saved describing how to copy the old file back to its prior location on the machine.
Inventors
- 👤 Benjamin C. Chamberlain
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 06:27
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/14; G06F11/1402; G06F11/1415; G06F11/1433; G06F8/00; G06F8/60; G06F8/61; G06F8/62
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
165 words
A method of creating patch rollback script records for restoring an electronic system to an original state for use in the event an error, a failure, or a user cancellation occurs when patching an application program module in the electronic system, comprising: analyzing a patch script record, wherein the patch script record corresponds to a patching operation; generating a rollback script record suitable for restoring an electronic system to an original state in the event a failure or error occurs when the patch script record is executed based on the analysis of the patch script record; and determining whether a version of a file to be patched already exists on the electronic system; and if a version of the file to be patched does not already exist on the electronic system, storing a first set of instructions as the patch rollback script record, wherein the first set of instructions describe a plurality of steps necessary to reverse the patching operation of the patch script record.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
165 words
A method of creating patch rollback script records for restoring an electronic system to an original state for use in the event an error, a failure, or a user cancellation occurs when patching an application program module in the electronic system, comprising: analyzing a patch script record, wherein the patch script record corresponds to a patching operation; generating a rollback script record suitable for restoring an electronic system to an original state in the event a failure or error occurs when the patch script record is executed based on the analysis of the patch script record; and determining whether a version of a file to be patched already exists on the electronic system; and if a version of the file to be patched does not already exist on the electronic system, storing a first set of instructions as the patch rollback script record, wherein the first set of instructions describe a plurality of steps necessary to reverse the patching operation of the patch script record.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the file to be patched is a data file.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
91 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising: if a version of the file to be patched already exists on the electronic system, storing the existing file to be patched in another location on the electronic system; and storing a second set of instructions as the rollback script record, wherein the second set of instructions describes a plurality of steps necessary to copy the existing file to be patched to its prior location on the electronic system and the steps necessary to reverse the patching operation of the patch script record.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising: determining whether the patching operation is complete; and if the patching operation is not complete, analyzing the next patch script record and repeating the method.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 4 , further comprising: if the patching operation is complete, purging all patch rollback script records and back-up files from the electronic system.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
76 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising: providing a user interface for use in association with patching an application program module on a computer, wherein the user interface is displayed to a user and includes a rollback bar comprising a number of level indicators, wherein a level indicator is removed to indicate that the patch program module is restoring the computer to its state prior to the patch program module patching the application program module.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 6 , wherein the level indicators are removed from the right side of the rollback bat until the level indicators are no longer displayed in the rollback bar, indicating that the computer has been restored to its state prior to patching the application program module.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 6 , wherein the level indicators are generally rectangular.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method recited in any one of claims 1 - 8 .
Claim 11
Independent Claim
180 words
A method for determining whether to enable or disable an aspect of creating patch rollback script records for a computer comprising an installer program module for installing a patch to an application program module using a plurality of patch installation script records and for creating patch rollback script records and backed-up patch rollback files for restoring the computer to an original state, the method comprising: determining the storage cost of patching the application program module and the cost of storing the patch rollback script records and backed-up patch rollback files; determining whether the storage cost of patching the application program module and the cost of storing the patch rollback script records and backed-up patch rollback files are greater than the available disk space of the computer; and if the storage cost of patching the application program module and the cost of storing the patch rollback script records and backed-up patch rollback files are not greater than the available disk space of the computer, patching the application program module while storing the patch rollback script records and backed-up patch rollback files.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
180 words
A method for determining whether to enable or disable an aspect of creating patch rollback script records for a computer comprising an installer program module for installing a patch to an application program module using a plurality of patch installation script records and for creating patch rollback script records and backed-up patch rollback files for restoring the computer to an original state, the method comprising: determining the storage cost of patching the application program module and the cost of storing the patch rollback script records and backed-up patch rollback files; determining whether the storage cost of patching the application program module and the cost of storing the patch rollback script records and backed-up patch rollback files are greater than the available disk space of the computer; and if the storage cost of patching the application program module and the cost of storing the patch rollback script records and backed-up patch rollback files are not greater than the available disk space of the computer, patching the application program module while storing the patch rollback script records and backed-up patch rollback files.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
114 words
The method of claim 10 , further comprising: if the storage cost of patching the application program module and the cost of storing the patch rollback script records and backed-up patch rollback files are greater than the available disk space of the computer, determining the storage cost of patching the application program module; determining whether the storage cost of patching the application program module is greater than the available disk space of the computer; and if the storage cost of patching the application program module is greater than the available disk space of the computer, displaying a message indicating that the application program module cannot be patched because there is insufficient available disk space.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
65 words
The method of claim 10 , further comprising: if the storage cost of patching the application program module is not greater than the available disk space of the computer, displaying a message indicating that the application program module can be patched if the patch rollback script records are disabled; receiving an indication to disable the patch rollback script records; and patching the application program module.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method recited in any one of claims 10 - 12 .
Claim 16
Independent Claim
176 words
A method of creating patch rollback script records for restoring an electronic system to an original state for use in the event an error, a failure, or a user cancellation occurs when patching an application program module in the electronic system, comprising: analyzing a patch script record, wherein the patch script record corresponds to a patching operation that does not include a rollback operation; automatically generating a rollback script record based on the analysis of the patch script record, wherein the rollback script record is suitable for restoring the electronic system to an original state in the event that the execution of the patch script record prematurely terminates; determining whether a version of a file to be patched already exists on the electronic system; and if a version of the file to be patched does not already exist on the electronic system, storing a first set of instructions as the patch rollback script record, wherein the first set of instructions describe a plurality of steps necessary to reverse the patching operation of the patch script record.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
176 words
A method of creating patch rollback script records for restoring an electronic system to an original state for use in the event an error, a failure, or a user cancellation occurs when patching an application program module in the electronic system, comprising: analyzing a patch script record, wherein the patch script record corresponds to a patching operation that does not include a rollback operation; automatically generating a rollback script record based on the analysis of the patch script record, wherein the rollback script record is suitable for restoring the electronic system to an original state in the event that the execution of the patch script record prematurely terminates; determining whether a version of a file to be patched already exists on the electronic system; and if a version of the file to be patched does not already exist on the electronic system, storing a first set of instructions as the patch rollback script record, wherein the first set of instructions describe a plurality of steps necessary to reverse the patching operation of the patch script record.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
145 words
A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for patching an application program module on a computer and restoring the computer to its original state before the patching of the application program module, which when executed performs steps comprising: performing an operation for patching an application program module on the computer; storing on the computer an instruction for reversing the patching operation; detecting an error in the patching operation; in response to detecting the error, executing the instruction; and providing a user interface for use in association with patching an application program module in a computer, wherein the user interface is displayed to a user and includes a rollback bar comprising a number of level indicators, wherein a level indicator is removed to indicate that the patch program module is restoring the computer to its state prior to the patch program module patching the application program module.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
145 words
A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for patching an application program module on a computer and restoring the computer to its original state before the patching of the application program module, which when executed performs steps comprising: performing an operation for patching an application program module on the computer; storing on the computer an instruction for reversing the patching operation; detecting an error in the patching operation; in response to detecting the error, executing the instruction; and providing a user interface for use in association with patching an application program module in a computer, wherein the user interface is displayed to a user and includes a rollback bar comprising a number of level indicators, wherein a level indicator is removed to indicate that the patch program module is restoring the computer to its state prior to the patch program module patching the application program module.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 15 , further comprising instructions, which when executed perform the step of storing the instruction in a rollback script.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-08-19 | 2006-02-18 | 2006-08-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-08-19 | 2010-02-18 | 2010-08-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-08-19 | 2014-02-18 | 2014-08-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |