External drive components for a computer and methods for operating external drive components

A computer, comprising:

• a processor;
• a power supply coupled to the processor;
• a drive component including
• a head capable of reading, writing, or both reading and writing data on a computer-readable medium, the head being coupled to the processor;
• a carriage configured to hold the computer-readable medium, the carriage being moveable between an operating position in which the head can read, write, or both read and write data on the computer-readable medium and an access position in which the computer-readable medium can be removed from the carriage;
• a drive assembly coupled to the carriage, the drive assembly being configured to selectively move the carriage from the operating position to the access position;
• and
• a lockout system coupled to the drive assembly, the lockout system, without disabling the head from reading, writing, or both reading and writing the data, selectively disabling the drive assembly from moving the carriage from the operating position to the access position.

A computer, comprising:

• a processor;
• a first memory drive coupled to the processor, wherein the first memory drive is a computer-readable medium for storing computer readable programs;
• a power supply coupled to the processor and the first memory drive;
• a drive component including
• a head operatively coupled to the processor and electrically coupled to the power supply, the head being capable of reading, writing, or both reading and writing data on a computer-readable medium;
• a holder configured to hold the computer-readable medium, the holder being moveable between an operating position in which the head can read, write, or both read and write data on the computer-readable medium and an access position in which the computer-readable medium can be removed from the holder;
• a drive assembly having a motor and a transfer mechanism, the motor being coupled to the power supply and the processor, and the transfer mechanism being coupled to the motor and the holder, wherein the motor drives the transfer mechanism to selectively move the holder between the operating and access positions;
• and
• a disabling system comprising a computer-readable program code stored in the first memory drive, the computer-readable program code including
• a disabling module that is activated by a protected disable command, the disabling module causing the processor to disable the motor to prevent the holder from being moved from the operating position to the access position;
• and
• an enabling module that is activated by a protected enable command, the enabling module causing the processor to activate the motor to move the holder between the operating position and the access position.

A drive component for a computer, comprising:

• a head capable of reading, writing, or both reading and writing data on a computer-readable medium;
• a holder configured to hold the computer-readable medium in an operating position in which the head can read, write, or both read and write data on the computer-readable medium;
• a drive assembly coupled to the holder, the drive assembly being configured to selectively move the holder and/or the computer-readable medium from the operating position to an access position, the computer-readable medium being removable from the external drive component in the access position;
• and
• a disabling system coupled to the drive assembly, the disabling system, without disabling the head from reading, writing, or both reading and writing the data, selectively disabling the drive assembly from moving the holder, the computer-readable medium, or both the holder and the computer-readable medium from the operating position to the access position.

A drive component for a computer, comprising:

• a head capable of reading data from a computer-readable medium;
• a carriage configured to hold the computer-readable medium, the carriage being moveable between an operating position in which the head can read, write, or both read and write data on the computer-readable medium and an access position in which the computer-readable medium can be removed from the carriage;
• a drive assembly coupled to the carriage, the drive assembly being configured to selectively move the carriage from the operating position to the access position;
• and
• a lockout system coupled to the drive assembly, the lockout system, without disabling the head from reading, writing, or both reading and writing the data, selectively disabling the drive assembly from moving the carriage from the operating position to the access position.

A method for operating a computer having a processor, a memory device coupled to the processor, a power supply coupled the memory device and the processor, and a drive component for reading, writing, or both reading and writing data on a computer-readable medium, the method comprising:

• loading the computer-readable medium into the drive component by moving the computer readable medium into an operating position in which the drive component can read, write, or both read and write data on the computer-readable medium;
• disabling the drive component from moving the computer-readable medium from the operating position to an access position to prevent access to the computer-readable medium;
• and
• operating the drive component to read, write, or both read and write data on the computer-readable medium while the drive component is disabled from moving the computer-readable medium from the operating position to the access position.

A drive component for a computer, comprising:

• a head capable of reading data on a computer-readable medium;
• a holder configured to hold the computer-readable medium in an operating position in which the head can read the data;
• a drive assembly coupled to the holder, the drive assembly being configured to selectively move the computer-readable medium from the operating position to an access position wherein the computer-readable medium is accessible to a user;
• and
• a disabling system coupled to the drive assembly and having a disabled mode, in which the drive assembly is disabled from moving the computer-readable medium, and an enabled mode, wherein the drive assembly is enabled to move the computer-readable medium, the head being able to read the data when the drive assembly is in its disabled mode.

A computer, comprising:

• a processor;
• a power supply coupled to the processor;
• a drive component including
• a head capable of reading, writing, or both reading and writing data on a computer-readable medium, the head being coupled to the processor;
• a holder configured to hold the computer-readable medium in an operating position in which the head can read, write, or both read and write data on the computer-readable medium;
• a drive assembly coupled to the holder, the drive assembly being configured to selectively move the holder, the computer-readable medium, or the holder and the computer-readable medium from the operating position to an access position, the computer-readable medium being accessible to a user in the access position;
• and
• a disabling system coupled to the drive assembly and comprising a computer-readable program code, the disabling system selectively disabling the drive assembly from moving the holder, the computer-readable medium, or both the holder and the computer-readable medium from the operating position to the access position, and the disabling system selectively enabling the drive assembly, upon a protected enable command, to move the holder, the computer-readable medium, or both the holder and the computer-readable medium from the operating position to the access position.

A computer, comprising:

• a processor;
• a power supply coupled to the processor;
• a drive component including
• a head capable of reading, writing, or both reading and writing data on a computer-readable medium, the head being coupled to the processor;
• a carriage configured to hold the computer-readable medium, the carriage being moveable between an operating position in which the head can read, write, or both read and write data on the computer-readable medium and an access position in which the computer-readable medium can be removed from the carriage;
• a drive assembly coupled to the carriage, the drive assembly being configured to selectively move the carriage from the operating position to the access position;
• and
• a lockout system coupled to the drive assembly and comprising a computer-readable program code, the lockout system selectively disabling the drive assembly from moving the carriage from the operating position to the access position, and, upon a protected enable command, selectively enabling the drive assembly to move the carriage from the operating position to the access position.

A drive component for a computer, comprising:

• a head capable of reading, writing, or both reading and writing data on a computer-readable medium;
• a holder configured to hold the computer-readable medium in an operating position in which the head can read, write, or both read and write data on the computer-readable medium;
• a drive assembly coupled to the holder, the drive assembly being configured to selectively move the holder and/or the computer-readable medium from the operating position to an access position, the computer-readable medium being removable from the external drive component in the access position;
• and
• a disabling system coupled to the drive assembly and comprising a computer-readable program code, the disabling system selectively disabling the drive assembly from moving the holder, the computer-readable medium, or both the holder and the computer-readable medium from the operating position to the access position, and the disabling system selectively enabling the drive assembly, upon a protected enable command, to move the holder, the computer-readable medium, or both the holder and the computer-readable medium from the operating position to the access position.

A drive component for a computer, comprising:

• a head capable of reading data from a computer-readable medium;
• a carriage configured to hold the computer-readable medium, the carriage being moveable between an operating position in which the head can read and/or write data on the computer-readable medium and an access position in which the computer-readable medium can be removed from the carriage;
• a drive assembly coupled to the carriage, the drive assembly being configured to selectively move the carriage from the operating position to the access position;
• and
• a lockout system coupled to the drive assembly and comprising a computer-readable program code, the lockout system selectively disabling the drive assembly from moving the carriage from the operating position to the access position and, upon a protected enable command, selectively enabling the drive assembly to move the carriage from the operating position to the access position.

A method for operating a computer having a processor, a memory device coupled to the processor, a power supply coupled the memory device and the processor, and a drive component for reading, writing, or both reading and writing data on a computer-readable medium, the method comprising:

• loading the computer-readable medium into the drive component by moving the computer readable medium into an operating position in which the drive component can read and/or write data on the computer-readable medium;
• disabling the drive component upon a protected disable command from moving the computer-readable medium from the operating position to an access position to prevent access to the computer-readable medium;
• and
• operating the drive component to read and/or write data on the computer-readable medium while the drive component is disabled from moving the computer-readable medium from the operating position to the access position.