Application level automatic format of removable media

A computer system for automatically formatting removable media, comprising:

• a format application executed by the computer, the format application capable of automatically preparing removable media for content based on at least a drive type defining characteristics of a drive containing the removable media, and a media type defining characteristics of the removable media, wherein the removable media is prepared for content without user interaction and wherein the preparing of the removable media for content without user interaction is associated with the preparing of the removable media for content;
• and
• a shell extension executed by the computer, wherein the shell extension is in communication with the format application, the shell extension capable of intercepting a write request and preserving the write request to write to the removable media, the shell extension is capable of determining if the removable media is unformatted,
• wherein the shell extension sends a format message requesting the format application prepare the removable media for content if the removable media is unformatted.

A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium, the computer program capable of automatically formatting removable media, comprising:

• program instructions for intercepting a write request to write to removable media, wherein the write request is preserved by a shell extension;
• program instructions for, determining whether the write request is directed to a supported drive;
• program instructions for, if the write request is directed to the supported drive, determining if the removable media is unformatted;
• program instructions for, if the write request is directed to the supported drive, automatically preparing the removable media for content when the removable media is unformatted without user interaction, wherein preparing the removable media for content is based on at least a drive type defining characteristics of a drive containing the removable media, and a media type defining characteristics of the removable media, and wherein the preparing of the removable media for content without user interaction is associated with the preparing of the removable media for content;
• program instructions that, if the write request is directed to the supported drive, provide the write request preserved by the shell extension to an operating system, the operating system performing a write operation on the removable media;
• and
• program instructions that, if the write request is not directed to the supported drive, provide the write request preserved by the shell extension to an operating system without determining if the removable media is unformatted and without automatically preparing the removable media for content, wherein the operating system performs the write operation on the removable media.