Abstract: A warning against the possible failure is accurately sent from the magnetic disk device to a host device. In one embodiment, error indices per unit time are stored discontinuously/continuously for each magnetic head, and if the new index (partial integral error rate) updated with the stored multiple error indices as the items to be monitored satisfies required conditions, this state is diagnosed as an abnormality or a pseudo-abnormality, and reported to the host device. The partial integral error rate is updated with an increase in the number of sets of error indices. Each time a new set of error indices per unit time are stored, the oldest of the existing error indices to be monitored is discarded and one of the new error indexes is added. In this way, a new partial integral error rate is calculated from the fixed number of new sets of error indices to be monitored.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a loop network system and data storage devices connected thereto where the data storage devices (nodes) can perform effective pieces of processing and the probability of error occurrence can be reduced. One embodiment according to the present invention includes a Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop network, a Host controller and multiple HDDs connected thereto. A port on the network outputs parameters to control loop initialization processing as well as a LIP Order Set. Each port performs loop initialization processing according to the received parameters and transfers the received LIP Order Set with parameters appended to the down stream.

Abstract: Embodiments in accordance with the present invention provide an auxiliary storage device that prevents performance degradation and collects data useful for buffer failure analysis. In one embodiment, a data set including user data and cyclic redundancy check (CRC) information is temporarily stored in a buffer. If a CRC error is detected in a data set that is read from the buffer during a data write or data read, the contents of the data set and the affected buffer address are recorded on a nonvolatile recording medium. Further, the buffer address is disabled. This makes it possible to store the data for reproducing a soft error that occurs in the buffer and prevent the performance of the auxiliary storage device from being degraded by a buffer error.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention improve the security of data written on a magnetic disk by performing re-allocation processing starting from a sector whose defect is large in automatic re-allocation processing. According to one embodiment of the present invention, after the reliability of each of data sectors that have been read out from a magnetic disk according to a read command is determined, re-allocation processing on the data sectors is performed in the order of increasing reliability. As a result, within a limited period of time, it is possible to replace by priority a data sector where there is a high possibility that data recovery will be unable to be achieved. This makes it possible to increase the security of data and the reliability of the HDD. The reliability of each data sector is determined on the basis of the number of bytes corrected by ECC.

Abstract: A warning against the possible failure is accurately sent from the magnetic disk device to a host device. In one embodiment, error indices per unit time are stored discontinuously/continuously for each magnetic head, and if the new index (partial integral error rate) updated with the stored multiple error indices as the items to be monitored satisfies required conditions, this state is diagnosed as an abnormality or a pseudo-abnormality, and reported to the host device. The partial integral error rate is updated with an increase in the number of sets of error indices. Each time a new set of error indices per unit time are stored, the oldest of the existing error indices to be monitored is discarded and one of the new error indexes is added. In this way, a new partial integral error rate is calculated from the fixed number of new sets of error indices to be monitored.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an inductor is performed in such a manner that the surface of a metal wire provided with an insulating film thereon is coated with a thermal melting resin. The thickness of the thermal melting resin is, for example, approximately 1 ?m. As the thermal melting resin, a thermoplastic resin or a thermosetting resin, such as a polyimide resin or an epoxy resin, containing 85 wt % of a powdered ferrite is used. This coated metal wire is densely wound to form a solenoid-type coil conductor. Next, the thermal melting resin is softened by a heat treatment at, for example, 180° C. and is then solidified by spontaneous cooling. Accordingly, the portions of the coil conductor adjacent to each other are bonded together by the thermal melting resin.

Abstract: An inductor which has a superior shape retaining property of a coil conductor, is superior in mass-productivity, and can be applied to an automated manufacturing line, and a manufacturing method therefor are provided. The surface of a metal wire provided with an insulating film thereon is coated with a thermal melting resin. The thickness of the thermal melting resin is, for example, approximately 1 &mgr;m. As the thermal melting resin, a thermoplastic resin or a thermosetting resin, such as a polyimide resin or an epoxy resin, containing 85 wt % of a powdered ferrite is used. This coated metal wire is densely wound to form a solenoid-type coil conductor. Next, the thermal melting resin is softened by a heat treatment at, for example, 180° C. and is then solidified by spontaneous cooling. Accordingly, the portions of the coil conductor adjacent to each other are bonded together by the thermal melting resin.