Method for carrying multiple suspended runtime images

A method implemented by a secure digital card (SDC), the method comprising:

• activating a hardware switch device on the SDC to indicate a selection of a first industry standard architecture from which to boot a first host computer, wherein the hardware switch device is part of the secure digital card and comprises a setting indicating a selection of an appropriate host operating system;
• connecting the portable device to the first host computer operating under the first industry standard architecture;
• providing from the SDC a first autoconfiguring host operating system to the first host computer according to the switch device selection, wherein the first autoconfiguring host operating system is located within a first selectable software stack stored in the SDC, the first selectable software stack comprising a first virtual machine layer, a first virtual machine monitoring layer, and the first autoconfiguring host operating system, all according to the first industry standard architecture;
• booting the first host computer from the first autoconfiguring host operating system stored in the SDC;
• starting the first virtual machine layer on the first host computer;
• commencing a session on the first host computer, comprising accessing user files stored in a user file partition of the SDC, the user file partition shared between multiple host architectures;
• suspending the session and storing a state of the session in the first virtual machine monitoring layer;
• disconnecting the SDC from the first host computer;
• setting the switch device to select a second industry standard architecture for connecting to a second host computer;
• connecting to the second host computer operating under the second industry standard architecture, wherein the second industry standard architecture is not compatible with the first industry standard architecture;
• presenting a second autoconfiguring host operating system to the second host computer according to the switch device selection, wherein the second autoconfiguring host operating system is located within a second selectable software stack in the SDC, the second selectable software stack comprising a second virtual machine layer, a second virtual machine monitoring layer, and the second autoconfiguring host operating system, all according to the second industry standard architecture;
• booting the second host computer from the second autoconfiguring host operating system stored in the SDC, wherein the second host computer comprises an architecture that is different from that of the first host computer;
• and
• starting the second virtual machine monitoring layer on the second host computer.