Abstract: A micro-Winchester disk drive system particularly suited to meet the demands of a portable computer system. The micro-Winchester disk is a Winchester disk of 85-100 mm in diameter. This disk drive system by virtue of its small size and vibration isolation is ideally suited for use in portable computer systems. The micro-Winchester disk drive system was developed to store data at a density of 600 tracks per inch utilizing open-loop positioning mechanism. This disk drive system provides fast access data storage for use with small business computers, terminals and microprocessor based systems, portable or otherwise, and many other areas where compact, rugged light-weight hard-disk storage is required. The disk drive system of the present invention normally utilizes either one or two hard disks such as Winchester disks and provides data storage on each disk in excess of 5 Megabytes, once the disks are formatted.

Abstract: A data storage file, for use with removable data storage media, is provided with a latch mechanism. The removable, data storage media, is provided with a containing protective sleeve.When the removable media, contained within the protective sleeve, is inserted into the data storage file, the latch mechanism actively retains the removable media, allowing the independent withdrawal, from the data storage file, of the protective sleeve, leaving the removable media loaded in the data storage file.When the protective sleeve is re-inserted into the data storage file, so as to contain the removable media, already loaded in the data storage file, the latch mechanism lets go of the removable media, allowing the withdrawal, from the data storage file, of the removable media, contained in and together with the protective sleeve.The protective sleeve actively retaining the removable media, the removable media is within the protective sleeve at all times if it is not loaded in the data storage file.