System and method for ensuring proper execution of scheduled file updates

Abstract

Method and apparatus for ensuring that file updates scheduled in a Wininit.ini file are applied with regard to previously existing versions and multiple instances of such updates are described. In one aspect, a computer program is installed on a computer system and executed after all file update entries have been made to a Wininit.ini file, but before the computer system is rebooted. If duplicate entries exist in the Wininit.ini file for a single destination file, the computer program determines which entry contains the newest source file based first on the version of the source file, if any, and then on the date/time stamp for the source file. The Wininit.ini entries referring to older source files, as well as the files themselves, are then marked for deletion and/or deleted before the computer system is rebooted. In the event that the destination file is the newest version of the file, all entries referring to the destination file, as well as corresponding source files, will be marked for deletion and/or deleted before the computer system is rebooted.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . In a computer system including a group of files comprising a destination file and one or more source files for updating said destination file, and further including an update file comprising entries corresponding to each of said one or more source files, a method for ensuring that only a newest version of said destination file and said one or more source files is included on said computer system, the method comprising the steps of: 
 determining which of said group of files is the newest;    marking each of said update file entries corresponding to all but said one of said group of files determined to be the newest; and    deleting all of said marked update file entries.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of marking for deletion said source files to which said marked update file entries correspond.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of deleting said source files to which said marked update file entries correspond.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said determining comprises: 
 determining whether said destination file has a version number;  
 if said destination file does have a version number, determining which of said destination and said one or more source files has the newest version number; and  
 if said destination file does not have a version number, determining which of the destination and one or more source files has the newest date and time stamp.  
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said computer system comprises a plurality of groups of files, each of said groups of files comprising a destination file and one or more source files corresponding to said destination file, and wherein said update file comprises an entry corresponding to each of said source files, wherein said determining, marking, and deleting are performed for each of said groups of files.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of, subsequent to said deleting, rebooting said computer system.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising the step of, responsive to said rebooting, executing said update file.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein an operating system of said computer system is a Windows 9x operating system and said update file is a Wininit.ini file.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising the step of, prior to said determining, determining whether said update file exists on said computer system.  
     
     
         10 . In a computer system including a group of files comprising a destination file and one or more source files for updating said destination file, and further including an update file comprising entries corresponding to each of said one or more source files, an apparatus for ensuring that only a newest version of said destination file and said one or more source files is included on said computer system, the apparatus comprising: 
 means for determining which of said group of files is the newest;    means for marking each of said update file entries corresponding to all but said one of said group of files determined to be the newest; and    means for deleting all of said marked update file entries.    
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  further comprising means for marking for deletion said source files to which said marked update file entries correspond by making an entry in said update file.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10  further comprising means for deleting said source files to which said marked update file entries correspond.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein said means for determining comprises: 
 means for determining whether said destination file has a version number;  
 means for determining which of said destination and said one or more source files has the newest version number if said destination file does have a version number; and  
 means for determining which of the destination and one or more source files has the newest date and time stamp if said destination file does not have a version number.  
 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein said computer system comprises a plurality of groups of files, each of said groups of files comprising a destination file and one or more source files corresponding to said destination file, and wherein said update file comprises an entry corresponding to each of said source files, wherein said determining, marking, and deleting are performed for each of said groups of files.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 10  further comprising means for rebooting said computer system subsequent to said deleting.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  further comprising means for executing said update file responsive to said rebooting.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein an operating system of said computer system is a Windows 9x operating system and said update file is a Wininit.ini file.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 10  further comprising means for determining whether said update file exists on said computer system prior to said determining.  
     
     
         19 . A computer program product for use by a computer system including a group of files comprising a destination file and one or more source files for updating said destination file, and further including an update file comprising entries corresponding to each of said one or more source files, a method for ensuring that only a newest version of said destination file and said one or more source files is included on said computer system, the computer program product comprising: 
 a computer program processable by a computer system for: 
 determining which of said group of files is the newest;  
 marking each of said update file entries corresponding to all but said one of said group of files determined to be the newest; and  
 deleting all of said marked update file entries; and  
   an apparatus from which said computer program is accessible by said computer system.    
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 19  wherein said computer program is processable by a computer system for marking for deletion said source files to which said marked update file entries correspond.  
     
     
         21 . The computer program product of  claim 19  wherein said computer program is processable by a computer system for deleting said source files to which said marked update file entries correspond.  
     
     
         22 . The computer program product of  claim 19  wherein said determining comprises: 
 determining whether said destination file has a version number;  
 if said destination file does have a version number, determining which of said destination and said one or more source files has the newest version number; and  
 if said destination file does not have a version number, determining which of the destination and one or more source files has the newest date and time stamp.  
 
     
     
         23 . The computer program product of  claim 19  wherein said computer system comprises a plurality of groups of files, each of said groups of files comprising a destination file and one or more source files corresponding to said destination file, and wherein said update file comprises an entry corresponding to each of said source files, wherein said determining, marking, and deleting are performed for each of said groups of files.  
     
     
         24 . The computer program product of  claim 19  wherein said computer program is further processable by said computer system for, subsequent to said deleting, rebooting said computer system.  
     
     
         25 . The computer program product of  claim 24  wherein said computer program is further processable by said computer system for, responsive to said rebooting, executing said update file.  
     
     
         26 . The computer program product of  claim 19  wherein an operating system of said computer system is a Windows 9x operating system and said update file is a Wininit.ini file.  
     
     
         27 . The computer program product of  claim 19  wherein said computer program is further processable by said computer system for, prior to said determining, determining whether said update file exists on said computer system.