Disk drive and method of controlling the same

A method of controlling a disk drive which has a turn table for rotatably supporting a disk thereon, a pickup for recording and/or reproducing data signals on the disk rotated on the turn table, and a disk transfer mechanism for transferring the disk bidirectionally between a recording and reproducing position which confronts the turn table and a disk loading and unloading position at the outside of the apparatus, comprising:

• a first transfer step of transferring the disk from the loading and unloading position to the recording and reproducing position;
• a first recording and/or reproducing step of recording and/or reproducing data signals on one side of the disk with the turn table and the pickup located at a first position which confronts the one side of the disk;
• a second transfer step of transferring the disk, after the first recording and/or reproducing step, to a disk standby position which is provided between the recording and reproducing position and the loading and unloading position;
• a turning movement step of turnably moving the turn table and the pickup at once from the first position to the second position which confronts the other side of the disk;
• a third transfer step of transferring the disk, after the turning movement step, from the disk standby position to the recording and reproducing position;
• a second recording and/or reproducing step of recording and/or reproducing data signals on the other side of the disk with the turn table and the pickup located at the second position;
• and
• a fourth transfer step of transferring the disk, after the second recording and/or reproducing step, from the recording and reproducing position via the disk standby position to the loading and unloading position.

A method of controlling a disk drive which has a turn table for rotatably supporting a disk thereon, a pickup for recording and/or reproducing data signals on the disk rotated on the turn table, and a disk transfer mechanism for transferring the disk bidirectionally between a recording and reproducing position which confronts the turn table and a disk loading and unloading position at the outside of the disk drive,

• wherein, for shifting the turn table and the pickup from a first position which confronts one side of the disk to a second position which confronts the other side of the disk, the steps are carried out in a sequence of:
• a first transfer step of transferring the disk to a disk standby position which is provided between the recording and reproducing position and the loading and unloading position;
• a turning movement step of turnably moving the turn table and the pickup at once from the first position to the second position;
• and
• a second transfer step of transferring the disk from the disk standby position to the recording and reproducing position.