Computer Including at Least One Connector for a Replaceable Storage Medium, and Method for Starting and Operating a Computer Via a Replaceable Storage Medium

Abstract

A method starts and operates a computer with an operating system held on a replaceable storage medium. The method includes: checking the authenticity of the replaceable storage medium and/or checking a user's authority for executing the operating system held on the replaceable storage medium. The operating system held on the replaceable storage medium is executed if the replaceable storage medium is authentic and/or the user is authorized to use the operating system. Checking the authenticity of the replaceable storage medium and the user's use authority ensures the integrity of the operating system. Thereby, modifications to the operating system and to the computer are made more difficult. The invention also relates to a computer and a replaceable storage medium which are suitable for carrying out the method.

1 . A replaceable storage medium for use with a computer, comprising:
 at least a first memory area, the first memory area comprising an operating system for the computer;   at least a second memory area; and   a memory control unit configured to permit the computer to effect read only access to the first memory area in a first operating mode and read and write access to the first memory area in a second operating mode and to permit the computer to effect read and write access to the second memory area in both the first and second operating modes, wherein the first operating mode corresponds to a normal operating mode, in which the computer can be started and operated using the operating system comprised in the first memory area.   
     
     
         2 . The replaceable storage medium as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the memory control unit is configured to permit operation of the replaceable storage medium in the first and/or second operating mode only if access protection data supplied by the computer has been validated. 
     
     
         3 . The replaceable storage medium as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the access protection data is different for the first and second operating modes. 
     
     
         4 . The replaceable storage medium as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising an encryption and decryption unit that encrypts and decrypts all data to be stored on the replaceable storage medium and all data to be read from the replaceable storage medium. 
     
     
         5 . The replaceable storage medium as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a high-speed data transmission interface for connecting the replaceable storage medium with a corresponding replaceable storage medium connector of the computer. 
     
     
         6 . The replaceable storage medium as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the high-speed data transmission interface complies with at least one of the following specifications: the Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface standard, in particular the USB 2.0 specification; the Serial Attached Small computer system interface (SAS); and the Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) specification. 
     
     
         7 . The replaceable storage medium as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a housing having at least one locking notch for interacting with a locking apparatus of the computer. 
     
     
         8 . The replaceable storage medium as claimed in claim  22 , wherein the first memory area includes a certificate for authenticating the replaceable storage medium. 
     
     
         9 . A system, comprising:
 a computer; and   a replaceable storage medium comprising: at least a first memory area, the first memory area comprising an operating system for the computer; at least a second memory area; and a memory control unit configured to permit the computer to effect read only access to the first memory area in a first operating mode and read and write access to the first memory area in a second operating mode and to permit the computer to effect read and write access to the second memory area in both the first and second operating modes, wherein:   the computer comprises: at least one replaceable storage medium connector configured to receive the replaceable storage medium; and a boot control apparatus configured to authenticate the replaceable storage medium, the boot control apparatus allowing execution of the operating system on the computer only in response to successfully authenticating the replaceable storage medium; and   the computer is configured to execute an operating system contained in the first memory area of the replaceable storage medium.   
     
     
         10 . The system as claimed by  claim 9 , wherein:
 the boot control apparatus is further configured to validate a user's use authority to execute the operating system stored on the replaceable storage medium; and to allow execution of the operating system stored on the replaceable storage medium in the first, normal operating mode only if the user's authorization has been successfully validated.   
     
     
         11 . The system as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the boot control apparatus is implemented via a program stored in an unalterable memory of the computer. 
     
     
         12 . A method for starting and operating a computer with an operating system stored in a first memory area of a replaceable storage medium, the method comprising:
 authenticating the replaceable storage medium; and   executing the operating system stored on the replaceable storage medium in a first, normal operating mode, in which the operating system stored in the first memory is protected against alterations, in response to authenticating the replaceable storage medium.   
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the replaceable storage medium is authenticated using a certificate stored in the first memory area of the replaceable storage medium. 
     
     
         14 . The method as claimed in  claim 12 , further comprising:
 validating a user's authority to execute the operating system stored on the replaceable storage medium; and   executing the operating system stored on the replaceable storage medium in the first, normal operating mode only if the user's authorization has been successfully validated.   
     
     
         15 . The method as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the user's use authority is validated via a password request and verification. 
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 12 , further comprising encrypting and decrypting data that is exchanged between the replaceable storage medium and the computer. 
     
     
         17 . The method as claimed in  claim 12 , further comprising storing user-specific data produced during operation of the operating system, in the second memory area of the replaceable storage medium, wherein the second memory area can be written to in the first, normal operating mode. 
     
     
         18 . The method as claimed in  claim 17 , further comprising storing data, specific to the computer and required during operation of the operating system, in the second memory area of the replaceable storage medium. 
     
     
         19 . The method as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the data is stored together with a distinct identifier for the computer. 
     
     
         20 . The method as claimed in  claim 12 , further comprising
 altering the operating system stored in the first memory area in a second operating mode.