Virtual partition for recording and restoring computer data files

A system for booting a computer system having a first operating system to a second operating system, the system comprising:

• a virtual partition creation module adapted to create a virtual partition on a storage device associated with the computer system, the storage device holding the first operating system;
• a virtual partition formatting module adapted to format the virtual partition to emulate a file system and to install the second operating system in the emulated file system of the virtual partition;
• a modifier module for modifying the storage device to boot the computer from the second operating system;
• and
• an application module adapted to perform a task on the computer system, wherein the task is not permitted under the first operating system but is permitted under the second operating system and wherein the application module further comprises a module selected from a group consisting of:
• an image create module adapted to create an image of at least some of the storage device, wherein the image does not include the virtual partition and an image restore module adapted to restore an image onto the storage device, the image containing executable code and data for use on the computer system.

A computer program product comprising:

• a computer-readable medium having computer program logic embodied therein for booting a computer system having a first operating system to a second operating system, the computer program logic comprising:
• a virtual partition creation module adapted to create a virtual partition on a storage device associated with the computer system, the storage device holding the first operating system;
• a virtual partition formatting module adapted to format the virtual partition to emulate a file system and to install the second operating system in the emulated file system of the virtual partition;
• a modifier module for modifying the storage device to boot the computer from the second operating system;
• and
• an application module adapted to perform a task on the computer system, wherein the task is not permitted under the first operating system but is permitted under the second operating system and wherein the application module further comprises a module selected from a group consisting of:
• an image create module adapted to create an image of at least some of the storage device, wherein the image does not include the virtual partition and an image restore module adapted to restore an image onto the storage device, the image containing executable code and data for use on the computer system.