Method and system for changing the operating system of a workstation connected to a data transmission network

A method of changing a current operating system to a new operating system in a workstation having a storage device using a data transmission network to interconnect said workstation with a software distribution server for providing said workstation with updated application software, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) creating a maintenance partition containing a version of the current operating system and a backup partition including sufficient free storage space to store the new operating system in the storage device of said workstation;
• b) storing into said backup partition customization information;
• containing the name of the user of said workstation, network address of said workstation, security information, configuration data and application data specific to said workstation;
• c) transferring a partition image of the new operating system from the software distribution server to said backup partition on said workstation;
• d) deleting the current operating system from the storage device of said workstation and delimiting a new partition on the storage device for storing the new operating system;
• e) loading the new operating system resulting from said partition image stored in said backup partition on said workstation.

A method of changing a current operating system to a new operating system in a workstation having a first and second storage device using a data transmission network to interconnect to a server being a software distribution server for providing the workstation with updated application software, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) executing a software distribution application in the workstation;
• b) establishing a network session with the software distribution server;
• c) creating in the first storage device of the workstation a maintenance partition containing a minimum version of the current operating system and a backup partition including sufficient free storage space to store the new operating system and customization information;
• d) storing a first set of customization information into the backup partition;
• e) transferring a partition image of the new operating system from the software distribution server to the backup partition on the workstation;
• f) storing a second set of customization information into the backup partition whereby any updates to the customization information in the transferring step (step e) is saved;
• g) deleting the current operating system from the second storage device of the workstation and delimiting a new partition on the second storage device for storing the new operating system;
• h) transferring the new operating system image from the partition image stored in the backup partition on the workstation into the newly delimited partition on the second storage device;
• i) restoring the customization information;
• and
• j) rebooting the system whereby the new operating system is executed.