Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for directing a network boot. The method includes obtaining a bootstrap by a client, the client residing in a subnet; obtaining a configuration file by the bootstrap, where the configuration file comprises a map of subnets and their corresponding file servers; determining from the configuration file a file server corresponding to the client's subnet; and obtaining an operating system (OS) image from the corresponding local file server. The method and system provides a bootstrap which, when loaded onto a client, obtains a configuration file from the remote file server. The configuration file contains a map of the network's subnets and their corresponding local file servers. Using this configuration file, the bootstrap obtains an OS image from the local file server which services the subnet in which the client resides.

Abstract: A data processing system and method are described for creating a virtual partition within an existing partition within a hard disk drive included within the system. A first master boot record is written which includes a partition. The partition defines a first file system to be utilized by the hard drive. A file is created within the partition. The first master boot record is temporarily overwritten with a second master boot record without altering the first file system. The second master boot record includes a designation of the file as a second partition. The second partition defines a second file system. The second partition is designated as the active partition. The data processing system is booted utilizing the second master boot record. The second partition is a virtual partition within the existing partition.