High Sierra Format

High Sierra Format (HSF) is the early logical file system used for CD-ROMs. The ISO 9660 standard is based on revised HSF.

Compact Discs were originally developed for recording music, but soon were used for recording data as they allowed recording of large amounts of information in a reliable, economic manner. At first every CD-ROM maker designed their own method of storing data, as there were no standards except at the very lowest level. There was a need for a stable standard for organizing data on compact disks into logical units such as files. In October 1985 several companies invited experts to participate in the development of a working paper for such a standard. In November 1985, representatives of 12 computer hardware manufacturers gathered at the High Sierra Hotel and Casino (currently called the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino) near Lake Tahoe, California. This group became known as the High Sierra Group.