Method and apparatus for preemptive head crash avoidance in a disk drive
First Claim
1. A method for preemptive head crash avoidance in a direct access storage device (DASD) comprising the steps of:
- utilizing at least two actuators, each said actuator servicing at least one transducer head;
monitoring for a predicted head crash; and
responsive to an identified predicted head crash, unloading a transducer head for said predicted head crash and unloading each additional transducer head being serviced by an actuator for said transducer head for said predicted head crash.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for preemptive head crash avoidance in a direct access storage device (DASD). At least two actuators are provided in the DASD. Each actuator services at least one transducer head. Monitoring for a predicted head crash is performed. Responsive to an identified predicted head crash, a transducer head for the predicted head crash is unloaded and unloading each additional transducer head being serviced by an actuator for the transducer head for the predicted head crash. A data backup process is performed. Responsive to an identified predicted head crash, data are transferred from a disk surface associated with the transducer head for the predicted head crash and transferring data from each disk surface associated with each additional transducer head being serviced by the actuator for the transducer head for the predicted head crash.
-
Citations
13 Claims
-
1. A method for preemptive head crash avoidance in a direct access storage device (DASD) comprising the steps of:
-
utilizing at least two actuators, each said actuator servicing at least one transducer head;
monitoring for a predicted head crash; and
responsive to an identified predicted head crash, unloading a transducer head for said predicted head crash and unloading each additional transducer head being serviced by an actuator for said transducer head for said predicted head crash. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
7. A computer program product for preemptive head crash avoidance in a direct access storage device (DASD), said computer program product including a plurality of computer executable instructions stored on a computer readable medium, wherein said instructions, when executed by said DASD, cause the DASD to perform the steps of:
-
monitoring for a predicted head crash;
responsive to an identified predicted head crash, transferring data from a disk surface associated with a transducer head for said predicted head crash and transferring data from each disk surface associated with each additional transducer head being serviced by said actuator for said transducer head for said predicted head crash; and
responsive to an identified predicted head crash, unloading a transducer head for said predicted head crash and unloading each additional transducer head being serviced by an actuator for said transducer head for said predicted head crash. - View Dependent Claims (6, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. Apparatus for preemptive head crash avoidance in a direct access storage device (DASD) comprising:
-
at least two actuators, each said actuator respectively servicing at least one transducer head;
a control unit, said control unit for monitoring for a predicted head crash;
said control unit, responsive to an identified predicted head crash, for transferring data from a disk surface associated with a transducer head for said predicted head crash and for transferring data from each disk surface associated with each additional transducer head being serviced by said actuator for said transducer head for said predicted head crash; and
said control unit, responsive to an identified predicted head crash, for unloading a transducer head for said predicted head crash and for unloading each additional transducer head being serviced by an actuator for said transducer head for said predicted head crash. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
-
Specification