Abstract: A disk drive is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk comprising a plurality of data tracks. A plurality of consecutive data tracks are written, and after writing to the plurality of consecutive data tracks, a first number of the consecutive data tracks are read and a second number of the consecutive data tracks are skipped, wherein the second number of data tracks are interleaved with the first number of data tracks. Defects in the data tracks are detected in response to reading the first number of data tracks.

Abstract: A data storage device may comprise storage media comprising a plurality of sectors, and a controller configured to selectively read and write data thereto. The controller may be further configured to tag a sector as a bad sector to be relocated after a first failed read and to untag the tagged sector after a successful write attempt after the first failed read. After a second failed read from the sector subsequent to the successful write, the controller may tag the untagged sector as a bad sector to be relocated and adjust a recurring bad sector counter for that sector. On a subsequent write request, based at least in part on the bad sector counter and a threshold, the controller may determine whether to relocate data stored at a physical location on the data storage device corresponding to the sector to a spare location on the data storage device.

Abstract: A disk drive is disclosed that enables defect margining during disk drive burn-in testing. The disk drive comprises: a disk comprising a plurality of tracks; a head actuated over the disk; and a processor. The processor is configured to: perform disk drive burn-in testing to detect media defects; generate an initial defect list based upon detected media defects for sectors; generate an extended defect list that includes detected media defects and extended defect margins from the detected media defects; and utilize the extended defect list for burn-in, wherein a spare area of the disk allows for the detected media defects and the extended defect margins.

Abstract: A disk drive configured to enable media defect margining during disk testing may comprise a disk comprising a plurality of tracks; a head actuated over the disk; and a processor operable to test media of the disk drive to detect a media defect; estimate a depth of the detected media defect; determine a margining amount based on at least the estimated depth of the detected media defect, and apply the determined margining amount to the detected media defect.