The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus capable of executing plug and play processing for starting up one installation processing operation upon acquiring one device identification information item. In some embodiments, a product key includes security information and identification information identifying at least one copy of a software product. Verification of the backup data can be subsequently performed by reading the backup data from the backup media, generating a hash from the backup data read, and comparing that hash with the hash originally stored on the backup media. The control device is coupled to the first switch element to control the first switch element to enter an on state or an off state. The state control unit then starts to sequentially transfer the operation state, thereby making it possible to perform the process operations according to a plurality of computer programs in a time-sharing manner.