Providing an image of installed software utilizing uninstall code
View Patent ↗A method for providing an image of software installed on a computer system is disclosed. The method includes the steps of deconstructing the image into at least one portion and creating at least one module from the at least one portion of the image. The deconstructing step can include the steps of scanning an image and identifying at least one portion of the image to be modularized. The creating step can include the steps of extracting the at least one portion of the image identified to be modularized and generating at least one module from the extracted portion of the image. The modules that are created in accordance with the present invention can be formatted for use in a new image or part of a new image to be used with a software program such as with a hardware-independent imaging tool. Furthermore, the modules can be used with hardware-independent technologies and can facilitate management of image inventory and facilitate deployment of images to new computer systems with different hardware configurations. Furthermore, the method is simple, cost effective and capable of being easily adapted to existing technology.
1. A method for providing an image of software installed on a computer system, the method comprising:
deconstructing the image into at least one portion, wherein the at least one portion of the image comprises an operating system, a set of drivers and application software;
creating at least one module utilizing uninstall code from the at least one portion of the image; and
formatting the at least one module for use in a new image or at least a portion of a new image.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the deconstructing the image further comprises:
scanning the image; and
identifying at least one portion of the image to be modularized.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the identifying at least one portion comprises:
providing a list of portions of the image to be modularized; and
selecting at least one portion of the image to be modularized.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one portion of the image represents at least one software program.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the at least one software program is hardware independent.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one portion of the image represents a plurality of software programs.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the plurality of software programs comprises a combination of hardware-independent and hardware-dependent software programs.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the creating at least one module further comprises:
extracting the at least one portion of the image; and
generating the at least one module from the extracted portion of the image.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the extracted portion of the image comprises uninstall scripts.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the generating at least one module comprises:
scanning the uninstall scripts; and
generating install scripts from the uninstall scripts.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the generating install scripts comprises:
reversing the order of the uninstall scripts;
determining uninstall scripts from the uninstall scripts; and
configuring a portion of the install scripts.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the software program is hardware-independent application software.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein the hardware-independent application software is a hardware-independent imaging tool.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein the module is hardware independent.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein the creating at least one module further comprises creating a plurality of modules from the at least one portion of the image.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the plurality of modules comprises a combination of hardware-independent and hardware-dependent modules.
17. A computer-readable storage medium including a computer program for providing an image of software installed on a computer system, comprising instructions for:
deconstructing the image into at least one portion, wherein the at least one portion of the image comprises an operating system, a set of drivers and application software;
creating at least one module utilizing uninstall code from the at least one portion of the image; and
formatting the at least one module for use in a new image or at least a portion of a new image.
18. The medium of claim 17 wherein the deconstructing the image further comprises:
scanning the image; and
identifying the at least one portion of the image to be modularized.
19. The medium of claim 18 wherein the identifying at least one portion comprises:
providing a list of portions of the image to be modularized; and
selecting the at least one portion of the image to be modularized.
20. The medium of claim 17 wherein the at least one portion of the image represents at least one software program.
21. The medium of claim 20 wherein the at least one software program is hardware independent.
22. The medium of claim 17 wherein the at least one portion of the image represents a plurality of software programs.
23. The medium of claim 22 wherein the plurality of software programs comprises a combination of hardware-independent and hardware-dependent software programs.
24. The medium of claim 17 wherein the creating at least one module further comprises:
extracting the at least one portion of the image; and
generating at least one module from the extracted portion of the image.
25. The medium of claim 24 wherein the extracted portion of the image comprises uninstall scripts.
26. The medium of claim 25 wherein the generating at least one module comprises:
scanning the uninstall scripts; and
generating install scripts from the uninstall scripts.
27. The medium of claim 26 wherein the generating install scripts comprises:
reversing the order of the uninstall scripts;
determining install scripts from the uninstall scripts; and
configuring a portion of the install scripts.
28. The medium of claim 17 wherein the software program is a hardware-independent application software.
29. The medium of claim 28 wherein the hardware-independent application software is a hardware-independent imaging tool.
30. The medium of claim 17 wherein the module is hardware independent.
31. The medium of claim 17 wherein the creating at least one module further comprises creating a plurality of modules from the at least one portion of the image.
32. The medium of claim 31 wherein the plurality of modules comprises a combination of hardware-independent and hardware-dependent modules.
33. A method providing an image of software installed on a computer system, the method comprising the:
deconstructing the image into at least one portion, wherein the at least one portion of the image comprises an operating system, a set of drivers and application software;
creating at least one module utilizing uninstall code from the at least one portion of the image; and
formatting the at least one module for use in at least a portion of a new image.
34. A computer-readable storage medium including a compute program for providing an image of software installed on a computer system, comprising instructions for:
deconstructing the image into at least one portion, wherein the at least one portion of the image comprises an operating system, a set of drivers and application software;
creating the at least one module utilizing uninstall code from the at least one portion of the image; and
formatting the at least one module for use in at least a portion of a new image.
35. A system comprising:
a storage medium; and
a processing system coupled to the storage medium, the processing system including a mechanism for deconstructing an image into at least one portion, wherein the at least one portion of the image comprises an operating system, a set of drivers and application software; creating at least one module utilizing uninstall code from the at least one portion of the image; and formatting the at least one module for use in a new image or at least a portion of a new image.
36. The system of claim 35 wherein the deconstructing the image comprises:
scanning the image; and
identifying at least one portion of the image to be modularized.
37. The system of claim 36 wherein the identifying at least one portion comprises:
providing a list of portions of the image to be modularized; and
selecting at least one portion of the image to be modularized.
38. The system of claim 35 wherein the at least one portion of the image represents at least one software program.
39. The system of claim 38 wherein the at least one software program is hardware independent.
40. The system of claim 35 wherein the at least one portion of the image represents a plurality of software programs.
41. The system of claim 40 wherein the plurality of software programs comprises a combination of hardware-independent and hardware-dependent software programs.
42. The system of claim 35 wherein the creating at least one module further comprises:
extracting the at least one portion of the image; and
generating the at least one module from the extracted portion of the image.
43. The system of claim 42 wherein the extracted portion of the image comprises uninstall scripts.
44. The system of claim 43 wherein the generating at least one module comprises:
scanning the uninstall scripts; and
generating install scripts from the uninstall scripts.
45. The system of claim 43 wherein the generating install scripts comprises:
reversing the order of the uninstall scripts;
determining the uninstall scripts from the uninstall scripts; and
configuring a portion of the install scripts.
46. The system of claim 35 wherein the software program is hardware-independent application software.
47. The system of claim 46 wherein the hardware-independent application software is a hardware-independent imaging tool.
48. The system of claim 35 wherein the module is hardware independent.
49. The system of claim 35 wherein the creating at least one module further comprises creating a plurality of modules from the at least one portion of the image.
50. The system of claim 49 wherein the plurality of modules comprises a combination of hardware-independent and hardware-dependent modules.