In situ method and apparatus for detecting surface defects to identify handling damage in a disk drive

Apparatus for detecting handling damage in a direct access storage device (DASD), the DASD having at least two magnetic disk surfaces provided by at least one disk mounted for rotation, and a corresponding transducer mounted for movement across each disk surfaces, said apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving a user request to perform handling damage analysis;
• means for performing a predefined surface analysis test (SAT) to identify magnetic surface defects on each of said disk surfaces responsive to said user request;
• means, utilizing identified magnetic surface defects, for identifying cosited defects on at least two magnetic disk surfaces;
• and
• means for reporting handling damage responsive to identifying a predefined number of cosited defects on at least two magnetic disk surfaces.

A direct access storage device (DASD) comprising:

• at least two magnetic disk surfaces mounted for rotation;
• a corresponding transducer mounted for movement across each disk surfaces,
• means for receiving a user request to perform handling damage analysis;
• means for performing a predefined surface analysis test (SAT) to identify magnetic surface defects on each of said disk surfaces responsive to said user request;
• means, utilizing identified magnetic surface defects, for identifying cosited defects on at least two magnetic disk surfaces;
• and
• means for reporting handling damage responsive to identifying a predefined number of cosited defects on at least two magnetic disk surfaces.