Abstract: A virtual machine (VM) is created using an alternate root disk (DRD) that has complete isolation between the booted system environment (BSE) running on the host operating system and the BSE running on the VM's operating system. The VM's root disk and BSE are separately bootable from the host system's root disk and BSE, thereby allowing for updates and modifications to the VM's root disk and BSE without interference with the host system's root disk and BSE regardless of how many times the updating BSE must be rebooted during the updating procedure. At most a single reboot is required in order to transfer the work in progress from the VM to the host system.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides an apparatus and method for creating operating systems for Virtual Machines. The apparatus and method perform acts including: cloning a guest operating system (OS) that is supported in a first Virtual Machine in order to create a cloned guest OS, and performing maintenance on the cloned guest OS, wherein the cloned guest OS is booted in a second Virtual Machine before performing maintenance on the cloned guest OS, or wherein maintenance is performed on the cloned guest OS and the cloned guest OS is then booted in the second Virtual Machine.