Selectable format computer disk copier machine

A computer disk copying apparatus for copying stored digital data onto a destination computer disk in a predefined format, said disk copying apparatus comprising:

• a host computer for reading the digital data from a data storage source, and for defining a format definition program for the format in which the digital data is to be written on the destination computer disk;
• a destination disk drive into which said destination computer disk may be mounted so that said digital data may be transferred to said destination disk;
• and
• a selectable format disk controller, connected between said host computer and said disk drive, for executing the format definition program defined by said host computer so that said disk drive is operated by said controller to place said digital data on said destination disk in the format defined by said host computer.

A disk controller for controlling the operation of a computer disk drive and for responding to commands issued by a host computer so that data from the host computer may be written on and read from the disk drive, wherein said controller comprises:

• a format decoder connected to said host computer for receiving commands therefrom, and connected to said disk drive for controlling the operation thereof in response to said commands received from said host computer;
• a format definition memory connected to said host computer for receiving format definition program steps therefrom, and connected to said format decoder so that said format definition program steps may be executed by said format decoder to control the format of data written on and read from said disk drive;
• and
• a process memory having process control steps stored therein, and connected to said format decoder so that said process control steps may be executed thereby in order to respond to said host computer commands, and to control the sequence of execution of said format definition program steps.

A method of copying computer disks in a disk copier machine having a selectable format disk drive controller connected to a source disk drive and to a destination disk drive, said method comprising the steps of:

• mounting a format definition disk in said source disk drive and transferring information from said format definition disk to said selectable format disk drive controller in order to configure said selectable format disk drive controller for the particular disk format to be used;
• removing said format definition disk from said source disk drive;
• mounting a source disk in said source disk drive;
• mounting a destination disk in said destination disk drive;
• and
• transferring information from said source disk to said destination disk.

A method of copying information onto computer disks in a disk copier machine having a selectable format disk drive controller connected to a destination disk drive, said method comprising the steps of:

• transferring a format definition program to said controller in order to configure said controller for the particular disk format to be used;
• mounting a destination disk in said destination disk drive;
• and
• transferring said information to said destination disk in the particular disk format.