Disk cartridge adapted for use with different disk drives

A protective cartridge for a data storage disk (e.g. optical, magneto-optical and magnetic disks) has two disk-access apertures which enable the disk to be used with two different types of disk drives, i.e. those which extract the disk from the cartridge prior to a record/playback operation, and those which record/playback information on the disk while rotating the disk within the cartridge. One aperture is provided in a side wall of the cartridge and is sized to allow a disk to be inserted into or extracted from the cartridge interior, and the other aperture is provided in the top and/or bottom wall(s) of the cartridge to expose a sufficient portion of the disk to enable it to be rotated within the cartridge and to have data recorded or played back over its entire data-recording surface(s). Two different cartridge doors prevent dirt and other contaminants from entering the cartridge interior through the disk-access apertures.