Pad eliminating decoding method and apparatus for a direct access storage device

An apparatus employed in a data channel for processing readback signal information developed from a data storage medium during a read operation, comprising:

• a detector that detects an encoded data stream developed from a readback signal, the encoded data stream comprising a plurality of encoded data blocks;
• and
• a processor, coupled to the detector, comprising:
• a parity check unit that detects parity of the encoded data blocks;
• a data correction unit that operates on a particular encoded data block in response to the parity check unit detecting incorrect parity of the particular encoded data block;
• and
• a disable circuit coupled to the parity check unit and the data correction unit, the disable circuit generating a disable signal associated with a last block of the encoded data blocks, wherein the data correction unit disables data correction to the last block in response to the disable signal.

A data storing system, comprising:

• a data storage disk;
• a transducer supported by a support structure in proximity with the disk;
• an actuator that provides relative movement between the transducer and the disk;
• and
• circuitry for processing readback signal information developed by the transducer during a read operation, the circuitry comprising:
• a detector that detects an encoded data stream developed from a readback signal, the encoded data stream comprising a plurality of encoded data blocks;
• and
• a processor, coupled to the detector, comprising:
• a parity check unit that detects parity of the encoded data blocks;
• a data correction unit that operates on a particular encoded data block in response to the parity check unit detecting incorrect parity of the particular encoded data block;
• and
• a disable circuit coupled to the parity check unit and the data correction unit, the disable circuit generating a disable signal associated with a last block of the encoded data blocks, wherein the data correction unit disables data correction to the last block in response to the disable signal.