Method for hard disk drive flip disk diagnostics
AssigneeHitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
InventorsPaul Marion Green, Garth Wade Helf
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for identifying a problem with a magnetic disk, comprising testing both sides of a disk for read errors using a pair of heads, flipping the disk 180 degrees, again testing both sides of the disk for read errors using the same heads, determining whether one side of the disk has more errors than the other side both before and after the flip, and determining that the disk is the cause of the read errors if the same side of the disk still has more errors than the other side after the flip.
Claims22
A method for identifying a problem with a magnetic disk, comprising:
- testing both sides of a disk for read errors using a pair of heads;
- flipping the disk 180 degrees;
- again testing both sides of the disk for read errors using the same heads;
- determining whether one side of the disk has more errors than the other side both before and after the flip;
- and
- determining that the disk is the cause of the read errors if the same side of the disk still has more errors than the other side after the flip.
A method for identifying a problem in a hard disk drive, comprising:
- assembling a hard disk drive having a two-sided disk and a pair of heads;
- testing both sides of the disk in the drive for read errors;
- quantifying the number of errors;
- passing the drive if the number of errors is below a predetermined threshold;
- failing the drive if the number of errors is above the predetermined threshold;
- removing the disk from the drive;
- flipping the disk 180 degrees;
- reinstalling the disk in the drive;
- testing both sides of the disk in the drive for read errors using the same heads;
- determining whether one side of the disk has more errors than the other side both before and after the flip;
- performing root cause failure analysis on the disk if the same side of the disk still has more errors than the other side after the flip;
- and
- performing root cause failure analysis on at least one of a circuit and a head of the disk drive if the same side of the disk does not have more errors than the other side after the flip.
A method for identifying a problem in a hard disk drive, comprising:
- assembling a hard disk drive having a two-sided disk and a pair of heads;
- testing both sides of the disk in the drive for read errors;
- quantifying the number of errors;
- passing the drive if the number of errors is below a predetermined threshold;
- failing the drive if the number of errors is above the predetermined threshold;
- removing the disk from the drive;
- flipping the disk 180 degrees;
- reinstalling the disk in the drive;
- testing both sides of the disk in the drive for read errors using the same heads;
- plotting at least some of the errors on a graphical representation of each side of the disk;
- determining whether one side of the disk has more errors than the other side both before and after the flip based on the plots;
- and
- performing root cause failure analysis on the disk if the same side of the disk still has more errors than the other side after the flip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.