Abstract: A procedure for estimating bit error rate (BER) for disc media in a disc drive is disclosed. Initially, the BER estimation procedure writes random data to specified tracks on the disc media. The procedure then reads the specified tracks over predefined time intervals to determine a BER for the disc media at the termination of each interval. Using the determined bit error rates, the procedure extrapolates the BER values to generate a decay graph representative of a BER slope over the time period comprising the time intervals. The decay graph is then used to estimate BER for the disc media at a predetermined time, such as the end of the expected life of the disc drive.

Abstract: A procedure for estimating bit error rate (BER) for disc media in a disc drive is disclosed. Initially, the BER estimation procedure writes random data to specified tracks on the disc media. The procedure then reads the specified tracks over predefined time intervals to determine a BER for the disc media at the termination of each interval. Using the determined bit error rates, the procedure extrapolates the BER values to generate a decay graph representative of a BER slope over the time period comprising the time intervals. The decay graph is then used to estimate BER for the disc media at a predetermined time, such as the end of the expected life of the disc drive.

Abstract: A sectoring circuit (22) locates data storage sectors in data tracks(60, 62) on a rotating disc (24) of a data storage device (20) having a transducer head (30) positioned by a servo system (44, 36) relate to the rotating disc (24) for writing to and reading from the sectors. The servo system (44, 36) provides servo errors in response to the transducer head (30) passing over servo patterns (64) embedded in the rotating disc (24). The sectors are positioned in data wedges (70-80, 82-92) extending between respective pairs of servo patterns. A header (66, 68, 93) is stored on the rotating disc (24) and is associated with a data wedge. The sectoring circuit (22) locates the header in reference to a servo pattern to receive and store information from the header including an identification field identifying the header and offset fields indicating a distnbution of bytes for sectors split between data wedges.