Abstract: An object-oriented framework contains program code for booting a processor with a volatile storage from an attached non-volatile storage. The framework provides a hardware independent boot image base class which can be subclassed to provide boot image program code for each specific hardware configuration. The boot image program code performs low level tasks such as determining the hardware configuration and loading kernel code into the volatile memory. Once the kernel has been loaded into memory it is initialized using the configuration information to provide a hardware-independent platform. Further non-subclassable code is used to establish support for accessing object-oriented shared libraries in the non-volatile storage. Finally an object-oriented environment is established by instantiating a file object from the shared libraries.

Abstract: An object-oriented input/output (IO) system represents an interface between clients of the IO system and peripheral devices, such that the clients can access the peripheral devices by utilizing IO services offered by the IO system. The IO system includes one or more object-oriented IO servicers for receiving IO service requests from clients, and for generating IO commands in accordance with the IO service requests. One or more object-oriented access managers, coupled to the IO servicers and the peripheral devices, access the peripheral devices as instructed by the IO commands such that the IO service requests are satisfied. The peripheral devices may transmit interrupts to a kernel while operating in accordance with the IO commands. One or more object-oriented interrupt servicers, coupled to the kernel receive and decode the interrupts from the peripheral devices. One or more object-oriented interrupt handlers, coupled to the interrupt servicers, process the decoded interrupts.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for use in booting a processor with a storage and attached peripherals. The system utilizes a technique for initializing a computer by resetting the storage and the one or more peripherals. Then, the system initializes a degredated environment for use in activating an operating system. The degredated operating environment enables file sharing and other basic tasks of importance in loading in the IO devices, system preferences, and hardware configurations and replaces itself with the IO file system for use by the operating system.