Error detection/correction and fault detection/recovery – Data processing system error or fault handling – Reliability and availability
Reexamination Certificate
1997-11-18
2001-12-18
Trammell, James P. (Department: 2161)
Error detection/correction and fault detection/recovery
Data processing system error or fault handling
Reliability and availability
Reexamination Certificate
active
06332203
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for testing an information processing device such as a work station or a personal computer (abbreviated to PC hereafter), used in combination with a memory unit using a disk-type medium (described as a disk unit hereafter).
2. Description of the Related Art
As the typical disk unit used in the information processing device (computer), a hard disk drive (abbreviated to HDD hereafter) is well known.
FIG. 1A
shows an arrangement of a magnetic disk and a read/write head which is a storage medium of the HDD internally installed in the PC.
In
FIG. 1A
, data are stored on an upper magnetic disk
1
, and positioning information is stored on a lower magnetic disk
1
. Based on the positioning information on the lower magnetic disk, the HDD accesses data on the upper magnetic disk
1
.
Recently, the HDD has become smaller in size and denser in assembly, and the head
2
comes very close to the surface of the magnetic disk
1
, with a distance equal to or less than 0.1 &mgr;m. Owing to vibration or impact, the head
2
may come into contact with the S magnetic disk
1
, thereby causing damage to the magnetic disk
1
and the data on the magnetic disk
1
.
FIG. 1B
shows a plan view of the magnetic disk
1
. Normally, when a drive motor of the HDD stops, the head
2
stays at a position in a texture area
4
. The texture area
4
is located on the outer side of a data storage area
3
on the magnetic disk
1
. So long as the head
2
stays in the texture area
4
, the data will not be damaged by vibration and the like. The texture area
4
may also be formed in an inner area
5
of the data recording area
3
.
Many of the operation testing processes in the PC during manufacturing are performed in a completed assembly in which the HDD is installed. The testing of the PC is generally executed by a plurality of function testing processes. During these testing processes, since the PCs are tested while they are being put on a pallet and transported on a conveyor or by rollers, vibrations and collisions between pallets frequently occur.
During transportation of the PCs, the data storage area
3
in the magnetic disk
1
can be damaged by contact from the head
2
, resulting in damage to data stored in the data storage area
3
. In order to prevent the data on the HDD from being damaged, the following countermeasures are conventionally taken:
(1) To avoid vibrations from the rollers during transportation, the rollers should be exactly set horizontally.
(2) To avoid vibrations and collisions between pallets during transportation, the pallets are moved slowly.
(3) Operators are instructed to disconnect the power supply and only to move a pallet after fifteen seconds, when the HDD motor has definitely stopped in the PC.
In the conventional testing processes, however, there are such problems as described below:
(1) In order to set the rollers more precisely in the horizontal direction, expensive equipment is required.
(2) When the pallets are set to move slowly, the total output of products decreases.
(3) When the necessary time for the HDD motor to be stopped is secured, the total number of products decreases because it takes time to transport the products to the subsequent process. Further, the operators do not always wait to ensure the HDD motor has stopped before moving the pallets. They might start moving the pallets before the HDD motor stops, thereby causing damage to the stored data.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a testing apparatus and method, in which data are prevented from being damaged during transportation of a disk unit such as an HDD, during manufacturing of an information processing device.
A testing apparatus of the present invention is equipped with a testing unit and a processing unit and performs testing of the information processing device including the disk unit. The testing apparatus includes a part or all of the information processing device to be tested.
The testing unit performs an operation testing process on the information processing device, and the processing unit executes a program to set a disk R/W head to a specific position, when the disk unit is out of use.
In the operation testing process of the information processing device in which the disk unit is out of use, such as in the case of transporting the information processing device, the head is fixedly set to the specific position by the program. The specific position means a predetermined position safely assured to be free from causing damage to the disk, and, for example, corresponds to the texture area of the magnetic disk.
The processing unit executes the program described above, and, as one example of performance, transmits to the disk unit a signal designating stopping of the drive motor in the disk unit. Thus, the drive motor is stopped and the head is automatically set to the specific position.
By automatically setting the head to a safe position regardless of the operator's manipulation, the R/W head is prevented from making contact with the data storage area of the disk, even if the information processing device receives a sudden and accidental vibration or shock. Accordingly, the data on the disk are prevented from being damaged during transportation of the device.
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Kobori Masao
Tachibana Ikuko
Tanaka Hitoshi
Elisca Pierre E.
Fujitsu Limited
Staas & Halsey , LLP
Trammell James P.
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