Providing A Restore Operating System With New Or Updated Software Components

1 . A method for creating a customized version of a PC's bootable restore media comprising:

determining the PC's hardware;

transferring the PC's drivers to a server computer; and

incorporating the drivers into a bootable restore image which supports the PC's hardware.

2 . The method for creating a customized version of a PCs bootable restore media of claim 1 , in which the PCs hardware is detected by checking the PC's operating system for the presence of new drivers.

3 . The method for creating a customized version of a PC's OS of claim 1 , in which the bootable restore media image includes software components not originally incorporated into bootable restore CD image originally provided by a manufacturer.

4 . The method for creating a customized version of a PC's OS of claim 1 , in which the bootable restore media image includes new drivers, previously provided installed drivers, and an operating system.

5 . The method for creating a customized version of a PCs OS of claim 1 , in which the PCs hardware and device drivers are determined by a software agent.

6 . The method for creating a customized version of a PC's OS of claim 1 , further comprising disposing a bootable restore OS for the PC including the PCs software components on computer readable media.

7 . The method for creating a customized version of a PC's OS of claim 6 , in which the computer readable media is a compact disk.

8 . The method for creating a customized version of a PCs OS of claim 6 , in which the PCs hardware configuration is determined by checking PC operating environment for the presence of a new driver.

9 . The method for creating a customized version of a bootable restore media of claim 6 , in which the bootable restore media includes drivers not originally incorporated in a bootable restore media provided by backup software manufacturer.

10 . The method for creating a customized version of a PC's OS of claim 6 , in which the backup includes one or more new drivers, one or more previously installed drivers, and an operating system.

11 . The method for creating a customized version of a PC's bootable restore OS of claim 6 , in which the PC's hardware is determined by a software agent.

12 . A computer network providing a bootable restore OS, the computer network comprising:

a software agent to collect a new driver; and

a plurality of scripts to install the new driver into a restore OS with updated driver information.

13 . The computer network providing the bootable restore OS of claim 12 , further comprising a utility to transfer the OS with updated driver information to a computer readable media.

14 . The computer network providing the bootable restore OS of claim 12 , in which the computer readable media is a compact disk.

15 . The computer network providing the bootable restore OS of claim 12 , in which the restore OS with updated driver information is disposed on a server for later transfer to a client computer being restored.

16 . The computer network providing the bootable restore OS of claim 12 , in which the transfer is provided by a network connection

17 . Computer readable media including executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed, create an operating system with updated drivers, comprising:

an operating system;

a plurality of previously installed drivers; and

a plurality of newly installed drivers to facilitate restoration of a client computer by delivering the operating system over a network to the client computer, or recording it to the hard drive.

18 . The computer readable media including executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed, create an operating system with updated drivers of claim 17 , further comprising a software agent to deliver the newly installed driver.

19 . The computer readable media including executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed, create an operating system with updated drivers of claim 17 , in which the newly installed driver and the operating system image are combined to produce a restore OS image.

20 . The computer readable media including executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed, create an operating system with updated drivers of claim 19 , in which the combination is accomplished by scripts.