Overlap detection for magnetic disks

A method, comprising:

• assigning a pointer to a first track of a magnetic disk when data is written to the first track, the pointer pointing to the end of the data in the first track;
• detecting a successive write to an earlier written portion of the first track;
• updating a location of the pointer based on the successive write to the earlier written portion of the first track;
• incrementing a write count of the first track based on the successive write to the earlier written portion of the first track;
• and
• rewriting a track adjacent to the first track when the write count breaches a threshold number.

A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a storage controller, direct the storage controller to:

• assign a pointer to a first track of a magnetic disk when data is written to the first track, the pointer pointing to the end of the data in the first track;
• detecting a successive write to an earlier written portion of the first track;
• update a location of the pointer based on the successive write to the earlier written portion of the first track;
• increment a write count of the earlier written portion of the first track based on the successive write to the first track;
• and
• rewrite a track adjacent to the first track when the write count breaches a threshold number.