Disk drive write verifying unformatted data sectors

• US 8,004,785 B1
• Filed: 05/09/2008
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Smith, Kenneth J., Boyle, William B., Barlow, Carl E., Tsai, Chun Sei
• Primary Examiner(s): Tzeng; Fred
• Application Number:
  US12/118,365
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 360/53, 360/31, 360/48, 360/77.04, 711/162, 711/170, 710/16, 714/8, 714/42, 714/769, 714/805, 369/53.17, 369/59.23, 369/59.12
• US Class Current: 360/53
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/1217 on discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10666 Ring buffers, e.g. buffers wherein an iteratively progressing read or write pointer moves back to the beginning of the buffer when reaching the last storage cell
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10842 wherein not all recorded data are copied or moved
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/1242 the area forming one or more zones, wherein each zone is shaped like an annulus or a circular sector
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/1289 Formatting of user data
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/1297 wherein the focus is on the write access speed
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/25 characterised in that the disc is based on a specific recording technology
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/5543 servo-format therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/5547 "Seek" control and circuits therefor G11B5/5556 takes precedence

Abstract

A disk drive is disclosed comprising a disk having a plurality of data sectors, wherein a physical block address (PBA) is associated with each data sector. When a write command is received from a host to write user data to the disk, and the write command comprises an unformatted logical block address (LBA), the user data is written to a first data sector, and the first data sector is write verified. A second data sector is defect scanned, and after the second data sector passes the defect scan, the user data is migrated from the first data sector to the second data sector and the LBA is formatted to the second data sector.

Claims

1. A disk drive comprising:

a disk comprising a plurality of data sectors, wherein a physical block address (PBA) is associated with each data sector;

a head actuated radially over the disk; and

control circuitry operable to;

receive a write command from a host to write user data to the disk, the write command comprising an unformatted logical block address (LBA);

write the user data to a first data sector;

write verify the first data sector;

defect scan a second data sector;

after the second data sector passes the defect scan, migrate the user data from the first data sector to the second data sector; and

format the LBA to the second data sector.

2. The disk drive as recited in claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further operable to defect scan data sectors from a first diameter of the disk toward a second diameter of the disk.

3. The disk drive as recited in claim 2, wherein the first data sector is located near the second diameter of the disk.

4. The disk drive as recited in claim 1, wherein, if the write verify fails, the control circuitry is operable to:

write the user data to a third data sector;

write verify the third data sector;

after the second data sector passes the defect scan, migrate the user data from the third data sector to the second data sector; and

format the LBA to the second data sector.

5. The disk drive as recited in claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is operable to defect scan the second data sector during an idle mode of the disk drive.

6. The disk drive as recited in claim 1, wherein when the second data sector fails the defect scan, the control circuitry is further operable to:

defect scan a fourth data sector;

after the fourth data sector passes the defect scan, migrate the user data from the first data sector to the fourth data sector; and

format the LBA to the fourth data sector.

7. The disk drive as recited in claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further operable to:

receive a read command from a host to read data from the disk, the read command comprising an unformatted LBA; and

return blank data to the host corresponding to the unformatted LBA.

8. A method of operating a disk drive, the disk drive comprising a disk comprising a plurality of data sectors, wherein a physical block address (PBA) is associated with each data sector, and a head actuated radially over the disk, the method comprising:

receiving a write command from a host to write user data to the disk, the write command comprising an unformatted logical block address (LBA);

writing the user data to a first data sector;

write verifying the first data sector;

defect scanning a second data sector;

after the second data sector passes the defect scan, migrating the user data from the first data sector to the second data sector; and

formatting the LBA to the second data sector.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising defect scanning data sectors from a first diameter of the disk toward a second diameter of the disk.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the first data sector is located near the second diameter of the disk.

11. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein, if the write verify fails, further comprising:

writing the user data to a third data sector;

write verifying the third data sector;

after the second data sector passes the defect scan, migrating the user data from the third data sector to the second data sector; and

formatting the LBA to the second data sector.

12. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising defect scanning the second data sector during an idle mode of the disk drive.

13. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein when the second data sector fails the defect scan, further comprising:

defect scanning a fourth data sector;

after the fourth data sector passes the defect scan, migrating the user data from the first data sector to the fourth data sector; and

formatting the LBA to the fourth data sector.

14. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a read command from a host to read data from the disk, the read command comprising an unformatted LBA; and

returning blank data to the host corresponding to the unformatted LBA.