System and method for analyzing magnetic media surfaces for thermal erasures and other characteristics

A method for analyzing magnetic media surfaces for thermal erasures and other characteristics comprising:

• measuring gain control values for a magnetic media surface, the magnetic media surface having multiple positions where each position includes a servo wedge on which servo samples including a preamble signal is recorded on servo tracks of the magnetic media surface, the gain control values represent the amount of gain applied by a drive channel module to the preamble signal to acquire a desired amplitude;
• receiving a request for measurement of gain control values for a magnetic media surface according to one or more measurement parameters indicating the scope of the measurement and acquiring the gain control values according to the measurement parameters, the one or more measurement parameters including a geographic location on the magnetic media surface for which the measurement is required;
• arranging the acquired gain control values in accordance with their proximity to each other and organizing the gain control values to generate one or more images that represent changes in the characteristics of the magnetic media surface;
• analyzing the one or more images to detect patterns in the one or more images that represent at least a change in a characteristic of the magnetic media surface;
• analyzing the patterns to determine one or more measurement values that coincide with the change in the characteristic of the magnetic media surface, the one more measurement values utilized for detecting the root cause of the change in the characteristic of the magnetic media surface;
• and
• performing a responsive action including generating an error condition when the change in the characteristics of the magnetic media surface exceeds a threshold.

A system for analyzing magnetic media surfaces for thermal erasures and other characteristics comprising:

• means for measuring gain control values for a magnetic media surface, the magnetic media surface having multiple positions where each position includes a servo wedge on which servo samples including a preamble signal is recorded on servo tracks of the magnetic media surface, the gain control values represent the amount of gain applied by a drive channel module to the preamble signal to acquire a desired amplitude;
• means for receiving a request for measurement of gain control values for a magnetic media surface according to one or more measurement parameters indicating the scope of the measurement and acquiring the gain control values according to the measurement parameters, the one or more measurement parameters including a geographic location on the magnetic media surface for which the measurement is required;
• means for arranging the acquired gain control values in accordance with their proximity to each other and organizing the gain control values to generate one or more images that represent changes in the characteristics of the magnetic media surface;
• means for analyzing the one or more images to detect patterns in the one or more images that represent at least a change in a characteristic of the magnetic media surface;
• means for analyzing the patterns to determine a measurement values that coincide with the change in the characteristic of the magnetic media surface, the measurement values utilized for detecting the root cause of the change in the characteristic of the magnetic media surface;
• and
• means for performing a responsive action including generating an error condition when the change in the characteristics of the magnetic media surface exceeds a threshold.