Importance

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Abstract

A method by which absolute static lock may be applied at media level, to files and directories in File Allocation Table (FAT)-based storage media, of single machine personal microcomputers running within the Disk Operating System (DOS) or equivalent environment is disclosed. To apply absolute static lock at media level on a target file or directory, the directory entry data field on disk for the target file or directory in the host machine is located and read into a convenient area of the host machine memory. The directory entry data field is restructured according to the procedure and in the non-DOS format of this invention. The original directory entry data field on the target media is replaced with the restructured non-DOS directory entry data field of this invention. The corresponding target file cluster information contained in the FAT is protected. Encryption of the target file contents may be incorporated into the absolute lock process if required. Target files or directories upon which the absolute static lock of this invention has been successfully applied cannot be accessed by DOS at media level, for the critical operations of read, copy, overwrite and erase. The reverse unlock process, by which the previously applied absolute static lock may be removed from a target file or directory, restoring it to the original unlocked DOS state, is also disclosed. In the special case where the target media is a floppy, the method of applying, or removing, absolute static lock to the floppy disk, is also disclosed.

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First Claim