Reversible virtual factory reset

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

receiving a request for a boot into a factory reset mode;

accessing a virtual boot indication in an operating system memory area;

identifying an address of a virtual boot user space memory area in user space memory as a function of the virtual boot indication; and

booting the system into the factory reset mode using the virtual boot user space memory wherein booting includes erasing the virtual boot user space memory area without erasing user settings that were written to the user space memory prior to booting the system into the factory reset mode.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein booting the system into the factory reset mode comprises booting the operating system from the operating system memory area which is read-only partitioned.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the virtual boot indication is located in the operating system memory area and is settable via a settings menu having administrative access rights.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the virtual boot user space memory area is a clean reserved user data area that contains no user settings.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the address of virtual boot user space memory area identifies a range of addresses.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein booting the system into the factory reset mode does not erase user space outside the virtual boot user space memory area.

7. The method of claim 1 and further comprising testing the system following booting the system into the factory reset mode.

8. The method of claim 1 and further comprising rebooting the system utilizing the user settings in the user space memory.

9. The method of claim 8 and further comprising:

receiving an indication to reboot the system;

modifying the virtual boot indication to indicate a normal boot; and

booting the system using a user space address of the user memory space containing the user settings.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the user space address identifies a range of addresses.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the address of a virtual boot user space memory area identifies a subdirectory or partition of a memory storage device.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the request for a boot into the factory reset mode is received from one of a settings menu, a boot menu, or a command.

13. A non-transitory machine-readable storage device having instructions for execution by a processor of a machine to cause the processor to perform operations to perform a method, the operations comprising:

receiving a request for a boot into a factory reset mode;

accessing a virtual boot indication in an operating system memory area;

identifying an address of a virtual boot user space memory area in user space memory as a function of the virtual boot indication; and

booting the system into the factory reset mode using the address of the virtual boot user space memory wherein booting includes erasing the virtual boot user space memory area without erasing user settings that were written to the user space memory prior to booting the system into the factory reset mode.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein booting the system into the factory reset mode comprises booting the operating system from the operating system memory area which is read-only partitioned, wherein the virtual boot indication is located in the operating system memory area and is settable via a settings menu having administrative access rights, and wherein the virtual boot user space memory area is a clean reserved user data area that contains no user settings.

15. The device of claim 13 wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving an indication to reboot the system;

modifying the virtual boot indication to indicate a normal boot; and

booting the system using a user space address of the user memory space containing the user settings.

16. The device of claim 13 wherein the address of a virtual boot user space memory area identifies a range of addresses, wherein the address of a virtual boot user space memory area identifies a subdirectory or partition of a memory storage device, and wherein the request for a boot into the factory reset mode is received from one of a settings menu, a boot menu, or a command.

17. A device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device coupled to the processor and having a program stored thereon for execution by the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request for a boot into a factory reset mode;

accessing a virtual boot indication in an operating system memory area;

identifying an address of a virtual boot user space memory area in user space memory as a function of the virtual boot indication; and

booting the system into the factory reset mode using the address of the virtual boot user space memory wherein booting includes erasing the virtual boot user space memory area without erasing user settings that were written to the user space memory prior to booting the system into the factory reset mode.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein booting the system into the factory reset mode comprises booting the operating system from the operating system memory area which is read-only partitioned, wherein the virtual boot indication is located in the operating system memory area and is settable via a settings menu having administrative access rights, and wherein the virtual boot user space memory area is a clean reserved user data area that contains no user settings.

19. The device of claim 17 wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving an indication to reboot the system;

modifying the virtual boot indication to indicate a normal boot; and

booting the system using a user space address of the user memory space containing the user settings, wherein the user space address identifies a range of addresses, wherein the address of a virtual boot user space memory area identifies a subdirectory or partition of a memory storage device, and wherein the request for a boot into the factory reset mode is received from one of a settings menu, a boot menu, or a command.