SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR ELIMINATING USER INTERACTION DURING HARDWARE CONFIGURATION AT SYSTEM BOOT

摘要

A system and method are provided to allow a user to update a computer systemwithout having to interact with an initialization, or configurator softwareutility, or program. More particularly, the present invention allows a systemprovider, manufacturer, or service provider to create an installation filethat, when provided to a user, will configure a system to accommodate newlyadded/removed hardware automatically. A base model and a new model of thesystem are maintained. The new model will include one or more differentconfigurations, such as new graphics adapters, communications adapters, I/Ocontrollers, or the like. The provider will haA system and method are providedto allow a user to update a computer system without having to interact with aninitialization, or configurator software utility, or program. Moreparticularly, the present invention allows a system provider, manufacturer, orservice provider to create an installation file that, when provided to a user,will configure a system to accommodate newly added/removed hardwareautomatically. A base model and a new model of the system are maintained. Thenew model will include one or more different configurations, such as newgraphics adapters, communications adapters, I/O controllers, or the like. Theprovider will have created a recovery/install image to be used with the basemodel. An operating system including a configurator program will be running onboth the base model system and new model system. Software, such as devicedrivers, to be used with the new model's changed hardware configuration isinstalled on the new model system and initialized using its configuratorprogram. A file for the new model is created using vital product data for thebase model system. This new model configuration file is then installed on thebase model machine and its configurator program is run. The configurationinformation (including the new model configuration data) is then stored as asystem image and a script file is added to this system image. This new modelimage is then made available to end users, by a CD or the like, having a newmodel system. The script file in the new model image will specify a startpriority that will allow it to be called before the configurator program andit will proceed to initialize the system with the appropriate softwarecaptured from the system provider's new model machine.