Automatic format of removable media

Abstract

An invention is disclosed for automatically preparing removable media for content, such as by automatically formatting media such as CDs and DVDs. A drive type is determined for a drive present on a computer system. The drive type defines characteristics of the drive. In addition, a media type is detected for removable media, such as a compact disc or floppy disk, present in the drive. Similar to the drive type, the media type defines characteristics of the removable media. Based on the drive type and media type, the removable media is automatically prepared for content in response to receiving a request to write to the removable media.

1 . A method for automatically formatting removable media, comprising: 
 determining a drive type of a drive present on a computer system, the drive type defining characteristics of the drive;    detecting a media type of a removable media present in the drive, the media type defining characteristics of the removable media;    detecting a state of the removable media; and    automatically preparing the removable media for content without user intervention in response to receiving a request to write data to the removable media, wherein automatically preparing the removable media for content is based on the drive type, the media type, and the state.    
   
   
       2 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising determining a format type based on the drive type, the media type, and the state, the format type defining a particular formatting process for formatting removable media.  
   
   
       3 . A method as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising formatting the removable media based on the format type.  
   
   
       4 . A method as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising continuing the write request after formatting the removable media.  
   
   
       5 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein automatically preparing the removable media for content based on the drive type, the media type, and the state includes formatting and initialization of the removable media.  
   
   
       6 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein detecting the state of the removable media includes determining whether the removable media is previously formatted.  
   
   
       7 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising analyzing the request to write data to the removable media to determine a data type of the data, the data type defining characteristics of the data.  
   
   
       8 . A method as recited in  claim 7 , further comprising determining a format type based on the drive type, the media type, the state, and the data type, the format type defining a particular formatting process for formatting removable media.  
   
   
       9 . A method as recited in  claim 8 , further comprising formatting the removable media based on the format type.  
   
   
       10 . A method as recited in  claim 7 , wherein a specialty program is utilized to prepare the removable media for content, and wherein the specialty program is selected based on the data type.  
   
   
       11 . A method as recited in  claim 10 , wherein a music media creation specialty program is launched when the data type is a music file type.  
   
   
       12 . A method as recited in  claim 10 , wherein a video media creation specialty program is launched when the data type is a video file type.  
   
   
       13 . A method as recited in  claim 10 , wherein a photo album media creation specialty program is launched when the data type is an image file type.  
   
   
       14 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the removable media is blank removable media.  
   
   
       15 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the removable media is a compact disc.  
   
   
       16 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the removable media is a digital video disc.  
   
   
       17 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the removable media is a floppy disk.  
   
   
       18 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the request to write data is generated in response to a drag and drop operation.  
   
   
       19 . A computer program embodied on a computer readable media having program instructions for automatically preparing removable media for content, the computer readable media comprising: 
 program instructions for determining a drive type of a drive present on a computer system, the drive type defining characteristics of the drive;    program instructions for detecting a media type of a removable media present in the drive, the media type defining characteristics of the removable media;    program instructions for detecting a state of the removable media; and    program instructions for automatically preparing the removable media for content without user intervention in response to receiving a request to write data to the removable media, wherein automatically preparing the removable media for content is based on the drive type, the media type, and the state.    
   
   
       20 . A computer program as recited in  claim 18 , further comprising program instructions for determining a format type based on the drive type, the media type, and the state, the format type defining a particular formatting process for formatting removable media.  
   
   
       21 . A computer program as recited in  claim 19 , further comprising program instructions for formatting the removable media based on the format type.  
   
   
       22 . A method for automatically formatting removable media, comprising: 
 determining a drive type of a drive containing a removable media, the drive type defining characteristics of the drive;    detecting a media type of the removable media contained in the drive, the media type defining characteristics of the removable media;    analyzing a request to write data to the removable media to determine a data type of the data, the data type defining characteristics of the data; and    automatically preparing the removable media for content without user intervention in response to receiving a request to write data to the removable media, wherein automatically preparing the removable media for content is based on the drive type, the media type, and the data type.