SMR storage device with user controls and access to status information and parameter settings

A storage device using magnetic recording disks comprising:

• a plurality of concentric shingled data I-regions in magnetic thin films on a disk surface in which each shingled data I-region includes a set of partially overlapping data tracks that are written in sequence one after another;
• an E-region including a plurality of tracks in magnetic thin films on the disk surface, the E-region containing data being staged prior to being written to an I-region;
• and
• a command processor that executes commands from a host that include:
• a command to start defragmentation operation;
• a command to stop defragmentation operation;
• and
• a command to set a waiting time after a last command is received from the host before the device initiates defragmentation operation.

A storage device using magnetic recording disks comprising:

• a plurality of concentric shingled data I-regions in magnetic thin films on a disk surface in which each shingled data I-region includes a set of partially overlapping data tracks that are written in sequence one after another;
• an E-region including a plurality of tracks in magnetic thin films on the disk surface, the E-region containing data being staged prior to being written to an I-region;
• and
• a command processor that executes commands from a host that include:
• a command to set a number of LBAs per I-region during a format operation;
• and
• a command to set a number of LBAs per E-region during a format operation.