Ronald Louis Stephens

US Patent:

6631043, Oct 7, 2003

Filed:

Feb 5, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/777486

Inventors:

Ronald J. Stephens - San Jose CA

Assignee:

Iomega Corporation - San Diego CA

International Classification:

G11B 502

US Classification:

360 25, 360 27, 360 69

Abstract:

An apparatus and method that allow for the compatibility of data-storage disks with disk drives is provided. In an illustrative implementation, an exemplary disk drive for use on data storage disks reads the control logic sector of cooperating data-storage disks for a compatibility indicator. If the disk is compatible the drive performs read/write operations. If the disk is incompatible, the indicator is overwritten to ensure compatibility. From there read/write operations are allowed. The processing may be realized by machine instructions present in a control circuit of the disk drive.

US Patent:

56946007, Dec 2, 1997

Filed:

Feb 9, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/599346

Inventors:

Eugene Khenson - San Francisco CA
Ronald J. Stephens - San Jose CA

Assignee:

Iomega Corporation - Roy UT

International Classification:

G06F 900

US Classification:

395652

Abstract:

Method and apparatus are disclosed for booting a computer from a removable media disk drive. The method and apparatus are suited to an environment in which the removable media disk drive is configured as the first fixed disk drive in the computer. The removable media drive responds to testing during the power-up as if it contains media, whether or not media is present. Thus, the removable media drive is recognized by the BIOS. Additionally, a substitute master boot record is provided to the computer from a Read-Only Memory device contained on the removable media drive in response to a request for the master boot record of the media. Control of the boot sequence is thereby gained. The substitute master boot record loads a boot program that allows booting from any media or physical disk drive independent of the CMOS configuration.