Patent ID: 6104561
Filing Date: 2000-08-15
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A removable disk cartridge comprising an outer casing devoid of a mechanical write protect switch and a storage medium disposed within said outer casing, said storage medium having a code stored thereon that indicates a protection mode of said storage medium, the code being rewritable so that the protection mode of the storage medium can be changed; wherein said rewritable protection code is written in only a small, predefined number of tracks on said storage medium yet defines the protection mode of a comparatively larger number of data tracks in which said protection code is not written, whereby the protection mode of all of said larger number of data tracks in which said protection code is not written is definable by way of said protection code written in said small number of tracks; and wherein said storage medium comprises one of a magnetic storage medium, a rewritable optical storage medium, and a magneto-optical storage medium.