Method of accessing removable storage media

• US 6,370,545 B1
• Filed: 07/30/1999
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: KOM Software Inc.
• Original Assignee: KOM Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Shaath, Kamel
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Hosain T.
• Application Number:
  US09/364,074
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 707/200-202, 707/1-3, 711/4, 711/115, 711/202, 711/112, 711/205, 711/206, 369/272
• US Class Current: 369/272.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0673 Single storage device

Abstract

A method is disclosed for accessing a removable storage medium. The removable storage medium is inserted within a removable storage drive. When the newly inserted removable storage medium is detected, an identifier is read therefrom. The identifier is used to determine if a symbolic link to that medium already exists. When a symbolic link exists, the symbolic link is updated to reflect the physical path to the storage medium. When the symbolic link does not exist, a symbolic link is created linking the identifier to the storage medium. The symbolic link indicates a non-standard storage medium. The symbolic link is then used to read data from and write data to the storage medium.

Claims

1. A method of accessing a removable storage medium from a computer system in execution of an operating system having a plurality of file system commands and at least a file system tool, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a storage medium;

mounting the storage medium with an identifier such that it is accessible through some file system commands but inaccessible through a file system tool from at least a file system tool wherein the identifier is not provided to the end user in a list of storage medium identifiers for the file system; and

,

performing at least one of storing data to and retrieving data from the storage medium using the file system commands, wherein the storage medium is accessed by its identifier, which is a drive name.

2. A method of accessing a removable storage medium as defined in claim 1 wherein the storage medium is a removable storage medium.

3. A method of accessing a removable storage as defined in claim 2 wherein the step of:

mounting the removable storage medium comprises the following steps;

reading from the removable storage medium the identifier; and

,

creating a symbolic link from the identifier to the storage medium, the symbolic link indicative of the storage medium being other than a standard storage medium of the file system.

4. A method of accessing a removable storage medium as defined in claim 3 wherein a storage medium is accessible through a physical path and wherein the step of:

reading from the removable storage medium an identifier is performed when a newly inserted removable storage medium is detected;

the method comprising the following steps;

determining a presence of a symbolic link for the identifier;

when a symbolic link exists, updating the symbolic link to reflect the physical path to the storage medium; and

when the symbolic link does not exist, performing the step of;

creating a symbolic link from the identifier to the storage medium, the symbolic link to other than a standard storage medium of the file system.

5. A method of accessing a removable storage medium as defined in claim 4 wherein the step of updating the symbolic link is performed such that the symbolic link identifier is unchanged and such that the removable storage medium is accessible through the symbolic link.

6. A method of accessing a removable storage medium as defined in claim 5 wherein the symbolic link is indicative of a storage medium of non-standard format.

7. A method of accessing a removable storage medium as defined in claim 5 wherein the symbolic link is indicative of other than a storage medium.

8. A method of accessing a removable storage medium as defined in claim 2 wherein the step of:

performing at least one of storing data to and retrieving data from the removable storage medium while it is mounted

comprises the step of storing data to the removable storage medium while it is mounted.

9. A method of accessing a removable storage medium as defined in claim 2 wherein the step of:

performing at least one of storing data to and retrieving data from the removable storage medium while it is mounted

comprises the step of retrieving data from the removable storage medium while it is mounted.

10. A method of accessing a removable storage medium as defined in claim 9 wherein the step of:

mounting the removable storage medium is performed such that such that it is inaccessible through all of the file system tools.

11. A method of accessing a removable storage medium as defined in claim 10 wherein the step of:

mounting the removable storage medium is performed such that such that it is accessible through all file system commands.

12. A method of accessing a removable storage medium as defined in claim 2 wherein the step of:

mounting the removable storage medium is performed such that the removable storage medium is unrecognisable to the system tools as a compatible storage medium.

13. A method of storing data from a computer system to a removable storage medium comprising the steps of:

mounting the removable storage medium on the computer system, the removable storage medium mounted with an identifier recognizable by the file system but unrecognizable by the system tools;

storing data using the identifier, the data stored within the removable storage medium, wherein the storage medium is accessed by its identifier, which is a drive name.

14. A method of accessing a removable storage as defined in claim 13 wherein the step of:

mounting the removable storage medium comprises the following steps;

reading from the removable storage medium the identifier; and

,

creating a symbolic link from the identifier to the storage medium, the symbolic link to other than a standard storage medium.

15. A method of accessing a removable storage as defined in claim 14 wherein the step of:

reading from the removable storage medium an identifier is performed when a newly inserted removable storage medium is detected;

the method comprising the following steps;

determining a presence of a symbolic link for the identifier;

when a symbolic link exists, updating the symbolic link to reflect the physical path to the storage medium; and

when the symbolic link does not exist, performing the step of;

creating a symbolic link from the identifier to the storage medium, the symbolic link to other than a standard storage medium.

16. A method of accessing a removable storage as defined in claim 15 wherein the step of updating the symbolic link is performed such that the symbolic link identifier is unchanged and that the removable storage medium is accessible through the symbolic link even when removed and reinserted within a different removable storage compatible device.

17. A method of accessing a removable storage as defined in claim 16 wherein the symbolic link is indicative of a storage medium of non-standard format.

18. A method of accessing a removable storage as defined in claim 16 wherein the symbolic link is indicative of other than a storage medium.

23. A method of accessing a removable storage medium as defined in claim 13 wherein the operating system is a Microsoft Windows®

operating system.

19. A method of accessing a removable storage medium from a computer system in execution of an operating system having a plurality of file system commands and at least a file system tool, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a removable storage medium;

mounting the removable storage medium comprising the steps of;

when a newly inserted removable storage medium is detected, reading from the removable storage medium an identifier;

determining a presence of a symbolic link for the identifier; and

, when the symbolic link does not exist, creating a symbolic link from the identifier to the storage medium, the symbolic link to other than a standard storage medium; and

,

performing at least one of storing data to the retrieving data from the removable storage medium, wherein the storage medium is accessed by its identifier, which is a drive name.

20. A method of accessing a removable storage medium as defined in claim 19 comprising the step of when a symbolic link exists, updating the symbolic link to reflect the physical path to the storage medium.

21. A method of accessing a removable storage medium as defined in claim 19 comprising the step of when a symbolic link exists, generating an error message.

22. A method of accessing a removable storage medium as defined in claim 19 wherein the operating system is a Microsoft Windows®

operating system.