Abstract: An indication is received from a user to initiate installation of an operating system onto a storage device of a computer. The storage device is partitioned into an original partition and a new partition. Installation software for the operating system is loaded onto the new partition. The computer is booted into the installation software on the new partition. The operating system is installed onto the original partition via the installation software on the new partition. The computer is then re-booted into the operating system on the original partition and the new partition is removed from the storage device.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for associating an application that was pre-installed on a computer with a user account on an online store. A system configured to practice the method presents an application available for download, receives a request to download the application to a computing devices, determines that the application is a pre-installed application, presents an authorization prompt configured to request user authorization to link the application with a user account, receives the user authorization, generates a unique hardware identifier associated with the computing devices, determines that the application is linkable based upon the unique hardware identifier, and links the adoptable application with the user account when the adoptable application is linkable.

Abstract: The embodiments set forth a technique for restoring a computing device to an operable state when a software update renders the computing device inoperable. According to some embodiments, a snapshot of a file system volume is automatically generated prior to executing the software update. When an issue is detected with the software update—e.g., the computing device freezes, the computing device cannot boot into an operable mode, etc.—the computing device can (1) automatically enter into a restoration mode, and (2) restore the file system volume to its previous state in accordance with the snapshot. In this manner, the issues caused by the software update are entirely mitigated, and the computing device can transition back into an operable state.

Abstract: Some embodiments of a method and an apparatus for pre-heated software installation have been presented. In one embodiment, packages of updates to software are downloaded from a remote source to a computing system in a background operation of a computing environment in the computing system. Then installation of the packages of the updates is initiated automatically in the background operation in an isolated manner without committing to the software updates.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a data processing system includes a guest account that is configured to assist in the protection and recovery of the data processing system when it is lost or stolen. In one embodiment, the guest account can allow Internet access and can include a web browser to allow the guest, who might be a thief, to use the system to browse the Internet. While such use occurs, the system can perform actions specified by an authorized user of the system, and such actions can include determining a location of the system and transmitting the location to the authorized user, erasing data on the system, displaying a message, capturing an image, etc.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for associating an application that was pre-installed on a computer with a user account on an online store. A system configured to practice the method presents an application available for download, receives a request to download the application to a computing device, determines that the application is a pre-installed application, presents an authorization prompt configured to request user authorization to link the application with a user account, receives the user authorization, generates a unique hardware identifier associated with the computing device, determines that the application is linkable based upon the unique hardware identifier, and links the adoptable application with the user account when the adoptable application is linkable.

Abstract: The embodiments set forth a technique for restoring a computing device to an operable state when a software update renders the computing device inoperable. According to some embodiments, a snapshot of a file system volume is automatically generated prior to executing the software update. When an issue is detected with the software update—e.g., the computing device freezes, the computing device cannot boot into an operable mode, etc.—the computing device can (1) automatically enter into a restoration mode, and (2) restore the file system volume to its previous state in accordance with the snapshot. In this manner, the issues caused by the software update are entirely mitigated, and the computing device can transition back into an operable state.

Abstract: An indication is received from a user to initiate installation of an operating system onto a storage device of a computer. The storage device is partitioned into an original partition and a new partition. Installation software for the operating system is loaded onto the new partition. The computer is booted into the installation software on the new partition. The operating system is installed onto the original partition via the installation software on the new partition. The computer is then re-booted into the operating system on the original partition and the new partition is removed from the storage device.

Abstract: An indication is received from a user to initiate installation of an operating system onto a storage device of a computer. The storage device is partitioned into an original partition and a new partition. Installation software for the operating system is loaded onto the new partition. The computer is booted into the installation software on the new partition. The operating system is installed onto the original partition via the installation software on the new partition. The computer is then re-booted into the operating system on the original partition and the new partition is removed from the storage device.

Abstract: A method of providing customized software update notifications for a device is described. The method receives information for a set of available system software updates from an update server. The set of available system software updates includes a set of security updates. Each security update includes a set of metadata. The method also receives information for a set of available application software updates. The method determines the total number of available application and system software updates. The method generates a customized update notification string based on the received metadata and the total number of available software updates. The method displays the generated customized update notification string.

Abstract: A graphical user interface (GUI) for a unified software update display center is provided. The GUI includes a first display area for displaying a set of available security system software updates. The GUI includes a second display area for displaying a set of available non-security system software updates. The GUI includes a third display area for displaying a set of available application software updates. The GUI includes a single selection tool for installing all available security updates without installing any updates displayed in the second and third display areas. The GUI includes individual selection tools for installing individual updates displayed in the second and third display areas. The GUI includes a selection tool to receive further updates from a system update server and an application update server. The critical security updates are displayed with different display attributes or in different sections to distinguish them from other types of updates.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a data processing system includes a guest account that is configured to assist in the protection and recovery of the data processing system when it is lost or stolen. In one embodiment, the guest account can allow Internet access and can include a web browser to allow the guest, who might be a thief, to use the system to browse the Internet. While such use occurs, the system can perform actions specified by an authorized user of the system, and such actions can include determining a location of the system and transmitting the location to the authorized user, erasing data on the system, displaying a message, capturing an image, etc.

Abstract: Some embodiments of a method and an apparatus for pre-heated software installation have been presented. In one embodiment, packages of updates to software are downloaded from a remote source to a computing system in a background operation of a computing environment in the computing system. Then installation of the packages of the updates is initiated automatically in the background operation in an isolated manner without committing to the software updates.

Abstract: Some embodiments of a method and an apparatus for pre-heated software installation have been presented. In one embodiment, packages of updates to software are downloaded from a remote source to a computing system in a background operation of a computing environment in the computing system. Then installation of the packages of the updates is initiated automatically in the background operation in an isolated manner without committing to the software updates.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for associating an application that was pre-installed on a computer with a user account on an online store. A system configured to practice the method presents an application available for download, receives a request to download the application to a computing device, determines that the application is a pre-installed application, presents an authorization prompt configured to request user authorization to link the application with a user account, receives the user authorization, generates a unique hardware identifier associated with the computing device, determines that the application is linkable based upon the unique hardware identifier, and links the adoptable application with the user account when the adoptable application is linkable.

Abstract: An indication is received from a user to initiate installation of an operating system onto a storage device of a computer. The storage device is partitioned into an original partition and a new partition. Installation software for the operating system is loaded onto the new partition. The computer is booted into the installation software on the new partition. The operating system is installed onto the original partition via the installation software on the new partition. The computer is then re-booted into the operating system on the original partition and the new partition is removed from the storage device.

Abstract: An indication is received from a user to initiate installation of an operating system onto a storage device of a computer. The storage device is partitioned into an original partition and a new partition. Installation software for the operating system is loaded onto the new partition. The computer is booted into the installation software on the new partition. The operating system is installed onto the original partition via the installation software on the new partition. The computer is then re-booted into the operating system on the original partition and the new partition is removed from the storage device.

Abstract: A graphical user interface (GUI) for a unified software update display center is provided. The GUI includes a first display area for displaying a set of available security system software updates. The GUI includes a second display area for displaying a set of available non-security system software updates. The GUI includes a third display area for displaying a set of available application software updates. The GUI includes a single selection tool for installing all available security updates without installing any updates displayed in the second and third display areas. The GUI includes individual selection tools for installing individual updates displayed in the second and third display areas. The GUI includes a selection tool to receive further updates from a system update server and an application update server. The critical security updates are displayed with different display attributes or in different sections to distinguish them from other types of updates.

Abstract: Described herein are methods for sharing resource dependencies between applications stored on a system. For example, in at least certain embodiments, a computer-implemented method for sharing resource dependencies includes installing or initiating installation of multiple application bundles having one or more applications and respective resources on the system. Next, an installer determines identifiers (e.g., hash signatures) for first and second resources and determines whether the resources are identical if an identifier for the first resource matches an identifier for the second resource. Then, a link is created from the second application bundle to the first resource of the first application bundle if the first resource is identical to the second resource. The second resource may be removed from the system if it has been installed. Alternatively, installation of the second resource is terminated if it has not been installed on the system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for networked recovery system is described herein. In one embodiment, a process is provided to obtain a type of recovery selected by a user. A non-volatile partition of a storage volume containing a recovery disk image is accessed. The recovery disk image does not include an installation package. If the obtained type of recovery is a predetermined type of recovery, a network connection is established using the recovery disk image and data is downloaded over the network connection for the obtained type of recovery. The obtained type of recovery of the system is performed.