Method and system for extending a hardfile partition table
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsSimon Chu, Richard Alan Dayan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and system for extending a hardfile partition table in a computer system is disclosed. The computer system includes a hardfile, a master boot record and an operating system. The method and system include allowing a user to define a plurality of partitions on the hardfile using a utility and providing an extended physical partition table describing the plurality of partitions. The method and system also include mapping a portion of the plurality of partitions to a master boot record transparently to the operating system.
Claims21
A method for extending a hardfile partition table in a computer system, the computer system including a hardfile, a master boot record and an operating system, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) allowing a user to define a plurality of partitions on the hardfile using a utility;
- (b) providing an extended physical partition table describing the plurality of partitions;
- and
- (c) mapping a portion of the plurality of partitions to a master boot record transparently to the operating system.
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:
- (d) allowing the user to select a partition of the plurality of partitions as a bootable partition.
A computer system including a hardfile, a hardfile adapter, a master boot record and an operating system, the computer system comprising:
- an extended physical partition table describing a plurality of partitions on the hardfile;
- a utility for allowing a user to define the plurality of partitions on the hardfile and passing data relating to a portion of the plurality of partitions to the hardfile adapter, the utility mapping a portion of the plurality of partitions to a master boot record transparently to the operating system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.