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.

Abstract: A data storage device may comprise a disk comprising a plurality of zones, each comprising a plurality of data tracks, a head having a reader spaced away from a writer by a gap, and a controller. The controller may be configured to, upon detecting a media defect in one of the zones: determine a width of data tracks in the zone in which the media defect is detected; calculate a minimum number of contiguous tracks in the zone in which the media defect is detected whose aggregate width is at least as great as the gap between the reader and writer; and margin the detected media defect with a number of tracks immediately adjacent to the detected media defect that is at least equal to the calculated minimum number of contiguous tracks.