Importance

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Abstract

The present invention is a method and apparatus for predicting the future failure of a disk drive. Structurally, the present invention is implemented as a series of diagnostic and statistical routines contained in a ROM on the logic board of a disk drive. The routines detect errors that occur during normal operation of the disk drive and issue a warning if the number of errors or the rate at which errors occur has exceeded predetermined levels. In addition to monitoring errors that occur during normal operation, the diagnostic routines may be activated to test for the presence of recoverable errors. Recoverable errors are detected by running a series of diagnostic tests after enabling error detection and disabling error correcting codes as well as device retries. Once again, a warning is issued if the number of errors or the rate at which errors occur has exceeded predetermined levels. Finally, the present invention may be used in combination with a list of suspected sectors that has been previously compiled by an internal disk tester. In such cases, the suspected sectors are periodically re-tested and a warning issued if the number of errors, or the rate of errors has exceeded predetermined levels. At the conclusion of testing, the drive is restored to its normal operating configuration with error correcting codes and device retries enabled.

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First Claim