Error detection/correction and fault detection/recovery – Data processing system error or fault handling – Reliability and availability
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-31
2004-02-10
Baderman, Scott (Department: 2184)
Error detection/correction and fault detection/recovery
Data processing system error or fault handling
Reliability and availability
C714S006130
Reexamination Certificate
active
06691255
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to disk drive testing, and more particularly, to scanning a disk drive for media damage caused by rough handling.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Computer manufacturers commonly test computer system components, such as a disk drive, after integration into a computer system to verify that that the components are in proper working order. The amount of time it takes to test a disk drive for media damage caused by rough handling during shipping and assembly of a computer system is roughly proportional to the size of the disk drive's storage capacity. A disk drive with a storage capacity of, for example, ten gigabytes, will require nearly an hour for a full scan of the drive for media damage. With expected increases in disk drive storage capacity, media damage scan times may significantly increase using current scan techniques.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a disk drive scan technique for reducing media damage scan times for disk drives of current storage capacities and for avoiding longer media damage scan times for future disk drives having larger storage capacities.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention may be embodied in a method for accelerated scanning of a disk drive for media damage caused by rough handling. In the method, a current cylinder number is set to an initial target cylinder number. Data is read from a track associated with the current cylinder number and is checked for an error indicative of media damage. The current cylinder number is then set to a next target cylinder number that is equal to the current cylinder number plus a cylinder skip factor. The skip factor causes the current cylinder number to change by more than one cylinder number. For the new current cylinder number, the reading and checking steps are repeated.
In more detailed features of the invention, the repeating step and the next target cylinder number setting step are continued until an unrecoverable error is detected. Alternatively, the repeating step and the next target cylinder number setting step may be continued until the current cylinder number reaches or passes a predetermined limit such as a maximum cylinder number. The reading step may be performed with zero rotational latency after a seek to the current cylinder number. Also, each error indicative of media damage may be logged by disk location. If the total number of disk errors, or the number of errors within a particular disk region, exceeds a predetermined threshold, the disk drive may be reported as damaged. A full media scan may be performed on the disk drive to determine the extent of the damage.
In other more detailed features of the invention, each cylinder number may be associated with a plurality of tracks and each track of a cylinder number may be further associated with a read/write head number. Also, before the reading step, the method may further include setting a current read/write head number to a first target head number and scanning the tracks associated with the first target head number in accordance with the reading, checking, and repeating steps. Then, the current read/write head number may be set to a next target head number and the tracks associated with the next target head number may be scanned in accordance with the reading, checking, and repeating steps. The first target head number may be associated with a first outside platter surface and the next target head number may be associated with a second outside platter surface. The next target head number may be the current head number plus a head skip factor that is greater than 1.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5568606 (1996-10-01), Dobbek
patent: 5760993 (1998-06-01), Purkett
patent: 5935261 (1999-08-01), Blachek et al.
patent: 6034837 (2000-03-01), Purkett
patent: 6151180 (2000-11-01), Bang
patent: 6266199 (2001-07-01), Gillis et al.
Rebalski Jan F.
Rothberg Michael S.
Baderman Scott
Fawcett, Esq. Robroy R.
Lohn Joshua
Shara, Esq. Milad G.
Western Digital Technologies Inc.
LandOfFree
Accelerated media scan method for detection of disk drive... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Accelerated media scan method for detection of disk drive..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Accelerated media scan method for detection of disk drive... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3290974