Authenticating a backup image with bifurcated storage

A method comprising:

• defining a computing device to have an operating system mode and an update mode, said computing device being communicatively coupled to a storage device, said storage device having at least a first area and a second area, said first area being accessible by the computing device for writing only when the computing device is in the update mode, said second area being accessible by the computing device for writing when the computing device is in the update mode or the operating system mode;
• configuring the computing device to enter the update mode to:
• generate a first value based on at least a portion of an image associated with the computing device;
• and
• store the generated first value in the first area;
• storing said at least a portion of the image to the second area;
• subsequently receiving a request to restore the portion of the image;
• retrieving the first value stored in the first area responsive to the received request;
• generating a second value based on the portion of the image stored in the second area;
• comparing the retrieved first value with the generated second value;
• and
• restoring the portion of the image from the second area to the computing device based on the comparison between the first value and the second value.

One or more computer-readable media having computer-executable components, said components executing on a computing device having an update mode and an operating system mode, said components comprising:

• a memory component for accessing a first area and a second area on a storage device, said storage device being communicatively coupled to the computing device, said first area being accessible by the computing device for writing only when the computing device is in the update mode, said second area being accessible by the computing device for writing when the computing device is in the update mode or the operating system mode;
• a backup component for storing a plurality of backup images in the second area, said backup component further storing a plurality of values corresponding to the plurality of backup images, each of said values being calculated based on the corresponding backup image;
• an interface component for receiving a request to restore one of the backup images;
• a boot component for configuring the computing device to enter the update mode responsive to the request received by the interface component to generate an authentication value based on said one of the backup images stored in the second area;
• and
• a validation component for comparing, while the computing device is in the update mode, the authentication value generated by the boot component with the value, stored in the first area, corresponding to said one of the backup images;
• wherein the backup component restores said one of the images from the second area to the computing device based on the comparison performed by the validation component.