Abstract: Disk formatting pattern methods and apparatus are disclosed. The methods feature forming a magnetic disk format information pattern on magnetic disk media by elevating the temperature of a pattern area and exposing the area to a magnetic field. The magnetic field has a field strength sufficient to alter magnetic properties of the elevated temperature region, but insufficient to substantially alter magnetic properties of disk regions at the disk's ambient temperature. A patterning system is also featured. The system includes a light source assembly, a pattern mask, and a magnetic field source. The light source assembly is arranged to project a light beam toward a surface of a magnetic disk. The pattern mask is arranged in the path of the light beam to produce a pattern image on the disk surface, and the magnetic field source produces a magnetic field at disk surface regions receiving the pattern image.