Boot Pointer Offset for Data Storage Device Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data storage devices face challenges in maintaining normal boot operations due to damaged operating systems, especially in industrial control equipment using non-Windows operating systems, where traditional recovery methods require software redesign and are prone to failure.
Innovation Solution
A data storage device with a controller and firmware that includes a boot pointer offset procedure and an operating system recovery process, allowing the boot pointer to switch from an original to a backup operating system sector address, enabling quick restoration and recovery without requiring version parsing, supporting both Windows and non-Windows operating systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a miniaturized system is used to execute operating system recovery procedure, then the recovery can be performed without external media, but the system must be redesigned for each operating system version which increases device complexity and reduces adaptability
Solution Approach 1:
The firmware is designed to universally support multiple operating systems (Windows, Linux, TinyOS) and multiple versions through a standardized recovery interface. The boot pointer mechanism and sector copying procedure are version-agnostic, allowing the same firmware to recover different operating systems without redesign, thus achieving multi-functionality and reducing device complexity
2Device complexity
If the boot pointer is fixed to point to the original operating system sector, then the boot structure is simple, but the system cannot recover when the original operating system damages
Solution Approach 1:
The boot pointer is made dynamic rather than fixed. It can be automatically adjusted by the firmware to point to either the original operating system sector or a backup sector depending on the boot status. This dynamic adjustment mechanism enables automatic recovery when the original system damages while maintaining relatively simple boot structure through automated decision-making
3Measurement precision
If version parsing is required to decompress the system image file, then the recovery process can be precise, but the recovery procedure becomes complex and may fail for unrecognized versions
Solution Approach 1:
The version parsing and identification step is extracted from the recovery procedure. Instead of analyzing and decompressing based on version information, the system directly copies sector data from backup to original location. This extraction of the version identification step simplifies the recovery procedure while maintaining precision through direct sector-level operations
4Ease of manufacture
If a recovery optical disk is used for operating system recovery, then the recovery file can be stored externally, but the disk is easy to lose or scratch which reduces reliability
Solution Approach 1:
A backup operating system is preliminarily stored in a backup sector within the data storage device before any damage occurs. This preliminary preparation ensures that recovery can immediately proceed from the internal backup without requiring external media, thereby improving reliability while keeping the recovery system simple to implement
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a data storage device comprising a controller and a data storage unit. The data storage unit comprises a first system storage area and a second system storage area. The first system storage area stores an original operating system, and comprises a first initial sector address. The second system storage area stores a backup operating system, and comprises a second initial sector address. The controller comprises a firmware. A boot pointer offset procedure is defined in the firmware. A boot pointer is preset by the firmware to point to the first initial sector address of the first system storage area, and therefore a boot operation is executed by the original operating system. When the original operating system damages, the firmware executes the boot pointer offset procedure to offset the boot pointer to the second initial sector address, and executes the boot operation by the backup operating system.