Abstract: An unconstrained removable protective cover for optical disks. With this apparatus a transparent protective cover can be mounted to an optical information recording disk wherein the different thermal expansion coefficients of the disk and the protective cover will not result in read write errors due to warping of the protective cover. An inner spacer ring is fixedly bonded to the inner diameter of the disk substrate and the protective cover. However, on the outer perimeter of the disk, a U-shaped spacer ring is fitted thereon and fixedly mounted to the outer perimeter of the transparent protective cover. This allows the transparent protective cover to expand and contract relative to the disk substrate by lateral movement of the spacer ring relative to the disk, without warping of the protective covering. A plurality of methods of mounting the outer spacer ring to the protective covering are disclosed.