Computer system capable of supporting a plurality of independent computing environments

A computer comprising:

• a main computer hardware box;
• a CPU disposed within the main computer hardware box;
• a memory disposed within the main computer hardware box;
• first and second controllers for respective first and second hard disk drive data storage devices disposed within the main computer hardware box;
• a bus, communicatively coupling the CPU, memory and first and second controllers;
• and
• a switch, communicatively coupled to the second hard disk drive data storage device, for altering the accessibility of the second data storage device to the CPU and exposed through the main computer hardware box or at a surface of the main computer hardware box for manipulation by a user.

A computer system comprising:

• a plurality of data stores including at least one protected data store;
• a plurality of switching system for communicatively coupling at least one source with a plurality of destinations, including a data store switch system wherein said source is a data store source, and a I/O switch system wherein said source is a peripheral source;
• a plurality of computing environments for performing a processing activity independently of another computing environment, each said computing environment is identified by at least one trait selected from a plurality of traits, coupled between said data store switch system and said I/O switch system, wherein said destination is said computing environment, said switching system communicatively couples said source and said destination according to said traits;
• at least one control computing environment selected from said plurality of computing environments for configuring said switch configuration according to said processing activity and said traits, communicatively coupled with said protected data store;
• and
• at least one user computing environment selected from said plurality of computing environments, wherein said processing activity is not performed on said protected data store.

A computer system comprising:

• a plurality of data stores including a plurality of magnetic rotatable disk drives;
• a protected data store selected from said plurality of data stores for storing at least said user data;
• a data store switch system coupled with said plurality of data stores, said switch system coupled with a data store switch configuration for configuring communication with one or more data store;
• an I/O switch system coupled with at least one peripheral, said I/O system coupled with an I/O system configuration including a plurality of traits for configuring said communication with said peripheral;
• a plurality of computing environments, each said computing environment identified by at least one trait selected from said plurality of traits, including:
• a data store switch communication path coupled with said data store switch, said data store switch communication path coupling at least one data store with said computing environment according to said data store switch configuration;
• an I/O switch communication path coupled with said I/O switch system, said I/O switch communication path for coupling said peripheral with said computing environment according to said I/O switch system configuration;
• said computing environment capable of performing a processing activity including receiving input from said I/O switch system and sending output to said I/O switch system, said processing activity performed independently of said processing activity of another computing environment;
• a control computing environment selected from said plurality of computing environments for configuring said data store switch configuration, for configuring said I/O switch system configuration, said data store switch configuration supporting communication between said control computing environment and said protected data store;
• and
• at least one user computing environment selected from said plurality of computing environments;
• wherein said I/O switch system configuration is configured to direct a received input to at least one of said computing environment based on said trait, said I/O switch system configuration is configured to direct an output generated by one or more of said plurality of computing environments to said peripheral based on said trait.

A computer system comprising:

• a communication device for communicating over a communications link to a second computer system,
• a port for communicatively coupling said computer system and said communication device over a bus having a plurality of data lines;
• and
• a switch coupled within said data line selected from said plurality of data lines for enabling and disabling said communication device.

A computer system comprising:

• a plurality of bootable data stores;
• a boot drive selected from said plurality of bootable data stores for booting said computer system;
• and
• a physical data store switch coupled with said plurality of bootable data stores for altering the accessibility of said bootable data stores and identifying said boot drive.

A computer system comprising:

• one or more peripheral devices including a means for communication, an coupling member, and a capability for emitting light;
• a receptacle mechanically coupled with said computer system for engaging said coupling member of said peripheral device;
• and
• a port for communicatively coupling said computer system and said peripheral devices coupled with receptacle.

A computer system comprising:

• a plurality of data stores;
• a data store switch coupled with said plurality of data stores for altering the accessibility of said data store;
• a peripheral controller for communicatively coupling said data store switch and said computer system;
• an accessible data store selected from said plurality of data stores communicatively coupled with said peripheral controller;
• and
• a computer program including at least one instruction capable of executing on said computer system, said instruction for analyzing said accessible data store to determine a health of said accessible data store;
• said health selected from a group of healths consisting of:
• a corruption health, and a correct health;
• if said corruption health is determined then said data store switch is actuated to remove accessibility to said accessible data store, and add a second accessible data store, if said correct health then said data store switch remains is not altered.

A method for a computer repairing itself to an operational status at any time during operation, the method comprising the computer-executed steps of:

• booting from a first hard disk drive boot device disposed within a main computer hardware box of the computer;
• then, in response to a signal indicating a need for repair of the computer during the booting or during any operating state, booting from a second hard disk drive boot device also disposed within the main computer hardware box of the computer prior to the signal indicating a need for repair;
• and
• then repairing software on the first hard disk drive boot device while booted from the second hard disk drive boot device and selectively either:
• (i) maintaining operation of the computer from the second boot device to restore operational status of the computer during repairing of the software on the first hard disk device, or (ii) changing to operation of the computer from the second boot device to the first boot device to restore operational status of the computer.

A computer comprising:

• a main computer hardware box or housing;
• a CPU disposed within the main computer hardware box;
• a memory disposed within the main computer hardware box;
• first and second controllers for respective first and second hard disk drive data storage devices disposed within the main computer hardware box;
• a bus, communicatively coupling the CPU, memory and first and second controllers;
• and
• a switch, communicatively coupled to the second hard disk drive data storage device, for altering the accessibility of the second data storage device to the CPU and exposed through the main computer hardware box or at a surface of the main computer hardware box for manipulation by a user.