Hard disk drive with dynamically designated media zones for archiving and performance

A hard disk drive for storing data received from a host device, the hard disk drive comprising:

• an interface configured to receive data and commands from the host device;
• a recording head configured to write the received data on a magnetic media disk;
• and
• a controller configured to
• designate an intake zone on the magnetic media disk for storing data using conventional storage techniques,
• designate a high-density zone on the magnetic media disk for storing data at higher densities than in the intake zone,
• control writing of data received at the interface directly into the intake zone,
• control transferring, compacting and storing data from the intake zone into the high-density zone, and
• adjust relative sizes of the intake zone and the high-density zone based on hard disk drive usage, hard disk drive performance, or available capacity in the intake zone or the high-density zone.