A system and method are provided to allow a user to update a computer
system without having to interact with an initialization, or configurator
software utility, or program. More particularly, the present invention
allows a system provider, manufacturer, or service provider to create an
installation file that, when provided to a user, will configure a system
to accommodate newly added/removed hardware automatically. A base model
and a new model of the system are maintained. The new model will include
one or more different configurations, such as new graphics adapters,
communications adapters, I/O controllers, or the like. The provider will
have created a recovery/install image to be used with the base model. An
operating system including a configurator program will be running on both
the base model system and new model system. Software, such as device
drivers, to be used with the new model's changed hardware configuration
is installed on the new model system and initialized using its
configurator program. A file for the new model is created using vital
product data for the base model system. This new model configuration file
is then installed on the base model machine and its configurator program
is run. The configuration information (including the new model
configuration data) is then stored as a system image and a script file is
added to this system image. This new model image is then made available
to end users, by a CD or the like, having a new model system. The script
file in the new model image will specify a start priority that will allow
it to be called before the configurator program and it will proceed to
initialize the system with the appropriate software captured from the
system provider's new model machine.