Abstract: A method is disclosed for mapping a selected sector to a zone on a disk having a plurality of zones during the operations of a disk drive. The method includes receiving a sector address corresponding to the selected sector and calculating an average zone capacity for the disk. The method further includes approximating the zone for the selected sector from the calculated average zone capacity and the received sector address.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for selecting format specific parameters in a disk drive comprising a control system and a plurality of disk surfaces each having a surface format for storing data, wherein at least one surface format is different than other surface formats. The method includes initializing the disk drive for operation, receiving a data transfer command, and selecting a disk surface for performing data transfer operations based on the received data transfer command. The method further includes selecting a format specific data structure corresponding to the selected disk surface, generating a second format specific data structure from the first format specific data structure, and performing the data transfer operations by the control system based on the calculated variable.

Abstract: Format specific parameters may be selected in a disk drive comprising a control system and a plurality of disk surfaces each having a surface format for storing data, wherein at least one surface format is different than other surface formats and wherein the control system comprises a microcontroller having a microcontroller execution memory. The method for selecting these format specific parameters includes initializing the disk drive for operation, receiving a data transfer command, and selecting a disk surface for performing data transfer operations based on the received data transfer command. The method further includes generating a format specific data structure corresponding to the selected disk surface, storing the format specific data structure at a predetermined address in the microcontroller execution memory, and executing instructions for performing the data transfer operations using the microcontroller, wherein the instructions are executed using the stored format specific data structure.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for selecting format specific parameters in a disk drive comprising a control system and a plurality of disk surfaces each having a surface format for storing data, wherein at least one surface format is different than other surface formats. The method includes initializing the disk drive for operation, receiving a data transfer command, and selecting a disk surface for performing data transfer operations based on the received data transfer command. The method further includes selecting a format specific data structure corresponding to the selected disk surface, calculating a format specific variable using the selected format specific data structure, and performing the data transfer operations by the control system based on the calculated variable.