A method to convert a plurality of sectors from a first sector format to a
second sector format is disclosed. The method provides (N) contiguous
first sectors comprising a first sector format to a sector format
conversion device which includes a buffer and a data queue, where those
(N) first sectors comprise a first number of bytes, and determines that
(M) contiguous second sectors, comprising a second sector format,
comprise at least the first number of bytes. The method overlays the
(i)th first sector onto part or all of the (j)th second sector, and
enqueues the newly-overlain (j)th second sector. The method then
transmits the newly-overlain (j)th second sector to a data storage
device, and writes that (j)th overlain second sector to an information
storage medium.