Write pointer management for a disk drive

摘要

Write pointer management for a disk drive including a disk having a plurality of sectors and a non-volatile memory (NVM) for storing data. Data is sequentially written sector by sector on the disk. The data written in a sector includes a write status indicator indicating that data has been written in the sector. A write pointer is stored on the disk or the NVM as a check-pointed write pointer. The write pointer corresponds to a current sector for writing data on the disk. During a write pointer recovery process, the check-pointed write pointer is retrieved, and at least one write status indicator is scanned in a range of sectors from the sector corresponding to the retrieved check-pointed write pointer and a last sector to identify the current sector for writing data. The write pointer is set to correspond to the identified current sector.

主权项

1. A disk drive comprising:
a disk including a plurality of sectors for storing data; a non-volatile memory (NVM) for storing data; a head configured to read data from the disk and write data to the disk; and a controller configured to:
control the head to sequentially write data sector by sector on the disk, wherein the data written in each sector includes a write status indicator indicating that data has been written in the sector;store a write pointer on the disk or the NVM as a check-pointed write pointer, wherein the write pointer corresponds to a current sector for writing data on the disk; andduring a write pointer recovery process when the check-pointed write pointer is retrievable:
retrieve the check-pointed write pointer from the disk or the NVM;scan at least one write status indicator in a range of sectors from the sector corresponding to the retrieved check-pointed write pointer and a last sector to identify the current sector for writing data; andset the write pointer to correspond to the identified current sector.