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Method for dynamically measuring computer disk error rates

  • US 5,422,890 A
  • Filed: 11/19/1991
  • Issued: 06/06/1995
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1991
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A computerized method for dynamically measuring hard disk error rate performance during a computer disk test procedure, the method comprising the steps of:

  • (a) the computer reading stored disk parameters of a disk drive under test, said parameters including disk identification information and predetermined acceptable error rates;

    (b) the computer writing a data pattern to a track on said disk drive under test, said disk drive having a plurality of tracks, each of said tracks comprised of a plurality of disk sectors,(c) the computer totaling the number of bytes being read from said disk drive under test with each read operation;

    (d) the computer reading said disk track and receiving a success code or one of a plurality of error codes upon reading said disk track, each of said error codes indicating an error type, where the receipt of one of said plurality of error codes causes said disk track to be characterized as a faulty track;

    (e) the computer, upon receipt of an error code upon reading said disk track,(1) determining which of said sectors within said track caused said error code to be generated, said sector causing said error code to be generated being characterized as a faulty sector;

    (2) determining said error type for said faulty sector based on said error code, and determining an address and associated error information for said faulty sector;

    (3) storing said faulty sector address, said error type and said associated error information in an error log;

    (4) totaling the number of disk errors of each of said error types;

    (5) determining whether the number of disk errors for any of said error types exceeds said predetermined acceptable error rates based on said total number of bytes read from said disk drive;

    (6) indicating a failure condition when said disk errors have exceeded predetermined acceptable error rates;

    (7) halting the disk test procedure when said predetermined acceptable error rates have been exceeded; and

    (f) the computer repeating steps (b)-(e) until completion of the disk test procedure or until the computer halts the disk test procedure.

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