Abstract: The invention relates to a computer in which an image of the operating system is maintained in a secondary memory. This memory is either powered from a source independent of the main memory, or is non-volatile in nature. When the computer is reinitialized, the loader software that normally builds the operating system from components instead checks the secondary memory for the presence of an operating system image. If such an image is detected, the loader transfers the image from the secondary memory to the primary memory and transfers control of the computing system to the image of the operating system now in the primary memory. If no image is detected, the loader operates in a standard fashion. Additionally, a complete system image may be stored in the secondary memory. This would include the contents of the primary memory, the contents of the virtual memory, and the system state. As such, a preexisting version of an operational computing system may be directly loaded at boot time.

Abstract: The invention relates to a computer in which an image of the operating system is maintained in a secondary memory. This memory is either powered from a source independent of the main memory, or is non-volatile in nature. When the computer is reinitialized, the loader software that normally builds the operating system from components instead checks the secondary memory for the presence of an operating system image. If such an image is detected, the loader transfers the image from the secondary memory to the primary memory and transfers control of the computing system to the image of the operating system now in the primary memory. If no image is detected, the loader operates in a standard fashion. Additionally, a complete system image may be stored in the secondary memory. This would include the contents of the primary memory, the contents of the virtual memory, and the system state. As such, a preexisting version of an operational computing system may be directly loaded at boot time.

Abstract: A method of generating a boot image and using the boot image to restore a computer system having a processor, an operating system, physical memory, virtual memory and disk storage. The method may be initiated from any particular software application, or at multiple execution points within a particular application. One or more boot images may be stored in association with an initiating application. By providing full virtual memory support in the boot image, the computer system may be restored to any predetermined operating state.