Abstract: A method for installing and/or testing software for a build-to-order computer system having a plurality of components includes a plurality of elements. The computer system has an associated step sequence. The step sequence includes a plurality of steps where each step includes at least one command and a step is associated with a respective component descriptor. A component descriptor corresponds to a respective component of the computer system. The method includes accessing a command within the step sequence; creating a file including a start of execution indication; executing the command; deleting the file including the start of execution indication when the command completes execution; and repeating the accessing, creating, executing and deleting for the plurality of steps.

Abstract: An apparatus for installing software onto a computer system includes a step table and a component table. The step table contains a set of software installation steps shared among different components of substantially all computer systems being manufactured. The component table contains a set of substantially all possible components that are included within computer systems being manufactured. The computer system corresponds to a family of computer systems and the apparatus further includes a family relation table, a family relation table and a family component relation table. The family relation table identifies the relationship between a set of software installation steps and each family of computer system being manufactured. The family component relation table identifies the relationship between the family of computer systems and the set of components.