Abstract: Various illustrative aspects are directed to a data storage device, comprising one or more disks; an actuator mechanism configured to position one or more heads proximate to a corresponding disk surface of the one or more disks; and one or more processing devices. The one or more processing devices are configured to: select a sector on the corresponding disk surface to which to write data, wherein the sector is selected in accordance with a data erosion mitigation pattern; and output, while the head is positioned proximate to a preceding sector that precedes the selected sector, a laser pre-bias current to a laser-generating component of the head, wherein the laser pre-bias current is sufficient to induce significant data erosion on the preceding sector.

Abstract: Various illustrative aspects are directed to a data storage device, comprising one or more disks; an actuator mechanism configured to position one or more heads proximate to a corresponding disk surface of the one or more disks; and one or more processing devices. The selected head comprises a write element and an assistive energy emitter. The one or more processing devices are configured to apply an assistive energy current to the assistive energy emitter while refraining from applying a write current to the write element.

Abstract: Various illustrative aspects are directed to a data storage device including one or more disks, an actuator mechanism configured to position a selected head among one or more heads proximate to a corresponding disk surface among the one or more disks, the selected head comprising a write element and an assistive energy emitter, and one or more processing devices configured to, individually or in combination: apply an assistive energy current to the assistive energy emitter while refraining from applying a write current to the write element, and vary a level of the assistive energy current over time while refraining from applying the write current to the write element.

Abstract: Various illustrative aspects are directed to a data storage device, comprising one or more disks; an actuator mechanism configured to position one or more heads proximate to a corresponding disk surface of the one or more disks; and one or more processing devices. The one or more processing devices are configured to: select a sector on the corresponding disk surface to which to write data, wherein the sector is selected in accordance with a data erosion mitigation pattern; and output, while the head is positioned proximate to a preceding sector that precedes the selected sector, a laser pre-bias current to a laser-generating component of the head, wherein the laser pre-bias current is sufficient to induce significant data erosion on the preceding sector.

Abstract: A data storage device is disclosed comprising at least one head configured to access a magnetic tape. A plurality of access commands are stored in a command queue, and a wear value is generated for each access command in the command queue, wherein the wear value represents a level of wear on the head or magnetic tape associated with executing the access command. An execution order for the access commands is generated based on the wear values, and at least one of the access commands is executed based on the execution order.

Abstract: A data storage device is disclosed comprising a non-volatile storage medium (NVSM), and a head configured to access the NVSM. During a first interval, the head is used to write first data to a first segment of the NVSM, and during a second interval, the head is used to read the first data from the first segment of the NVSM and erase at least part of the first data from the first segment of the NVSM.

Abstract: A data storage device is disclosed comprising at least one head configured to access a magnetic tape. A plurality of access commands are stored in a command queue, and a wear value is generated for each access command in the command queue, wherein the wear value represents a level of wear on the head or magnetic tape associated with executing the access command. An execution order for the access commands is generated based on the wear values, and at least one of the access commands is executed based on the execution order.

Abstract: A data storage device is disclosed comprising a non-volatile storage medium (NVSM), and a head configured to access the NVSM. During a first interval, the head is used to write first data to a first segment of the NVSM, and during a second interval, the head is used to read the first data from the first segment of the NVSM and erase at least part of the first data from the first segment of the NVSM.

Abstract: A Data Storage Device (DSD) includes at least one disk for storing data in a plurality of storage areas including at least a first area type for using a first data access methodology and a second area type for using a second data access methodology. It is determined whether to perform a command in a storage area of the first or second area type. If the command is to be performed in the first area type, the command is prioritized over at least one other command for the second area type. In another aspect, a value is determined representing a number of data access operations within a predetermined time period for a data storage capacity of the DSD. Storage areas of the DSD are configured as one of at least the first area type and the second area type based at least in part on the determined value.

Abstract: A data storage device includes a disk and a plurality of actuators for reading and writing data on the disk in different physical realms. Each physical realm is associated with at least one logical zone domain including at least one logical zone. The at least one logical zone domain corresponds to an actuator of a plurality of actuators that accesses the physical realms associated with the at least one logical zone domain. In one aspect, reading and writing of data is enabled in one or more logical zones in response to a SATA zone activate command. In another aspect, a SATA read or write command is received indicating at least one logical address for data to read or written on the disk. Data is read or written in a physical realm using the actuator corresponding to a logical zone domain including the at least one logical address.

Abstract: A Data Storage Device (DSD) includes at least one disk for storing data in a plurality of storage areas including at least a first area type for using a first data access methodology and a second area type for using a second data access methodology. It is determined whether to perform a command in a storage area of the first or second area type. If the command is to be performed in the first area type, the command is prioritized over at least one other command for the second area type. In another aspect, a value is determined representing a number of data access operations within a predetermined time period for a data storage capacity of the DSD. Storage areas of the DSD are configured as one of at least the first area type and the second area type based at least in part on the determined value.

Abstract: A data storage device is disclosed comprising a first head actuated over a first disk surface, wherein the first head comprises a write coil and a write-assist component. First data is written to the first disk surface using the write coil and the write-assist component of the first head. An electrical bias is applied to the write-assist component of the first head to physically damage the write-assist component, thereby rendering the first disk surface read-only.

Abstract: A data storage device is disclosed comprising a first disk surface comprising a plurality of data tracks, and a first head actuated over the first disk surface. First data is written to the first disk surface based on a first format. At least part of the first disk surface is reformatted based on a second format, wherein the second format defines a lower recording density for the first disk surface as compared to a recording density defined by the first format. After reformatting the at least part of the first disk surface, second data is written to the first disk surface based on the second format and the first data is read from the first disk surface based on the first format.

Abstract: A write command is received to write data in a Conventional Magnetic Recording (CMR) realm of a disk to be formatted for writing data in non-overlapping tracks. The disk includes a plurality of areas of the disk that can be formatted as a CMR realm or as a Shingled Magnetic Recording (SMR) realm formatted for writing data in overlapping tracks. It is determined whether performance of the write command would require writing to begin in a portion of the CMR realm that has not been written with non-overlapping tracks. In response to determining that the performance of the write command would require writing to begin in a portion of the CMR realm that has not been written with non-overlapping tracks, a predefined data pattern is written using non-overlapping tracks in the portion of the CMR realm that has not been written with non-overlapping tracks.

Abstract: A write command is received to write data in a Conventional Magnetic Recording (CMR) realm of a disk to be formatted for writing data in non-overlapping tracks. The disk includes a plurality of areas of the disk that can be formatted as a CMR realm or as a Shingled Magnetic Recording (SMR) realm formatted for writing data in overlapping tracks. It is determined whether performance of the write command would require writing to begin in a portion of the CMR realm that has not been written with non-overlapping tracks. In response to determining that the performance of the write command would require writing to begin in a portion of the CMR realm that has not been written with non-overlapping tracks, a predefined data pattern is written using non-overlapping tracks in the portion of the CMR realm that has not been written with non-overlapping tracks.

Abstract: Managing data stored in a Data Storage Device (DSD) including a memory. A translation table is maintained mapping logical addresses for data to physical addresses corresponding to a location where the data is stored in the memory. A data pattern is identified of particular data to be stored in the memory or of particular data already stored in the memory, and it is indicated in the translation table that at least one logical address for the particular data is associated with the data pattern.

Abstract: Systems and methods for segregate data in data storage system memory based on writing frequency are disclosed. In some embodiments, infrequently written data is identified and stored in one or more memory regions designated for infrequently written data. Frequently written data is identified and stored in one or more memory regions designated for frequently written data. Garbage collection load can be significantly reduced or eliminated. For example, write amplification of non-volatile solid-state memory is reduced and/or wear of disk heads and other components is reduced. Increased efficiency, longevity, and performance can be obtained.

Abstract: A data storage device is disclosed comprising a non-volatile memory comprising a plurality of memory segments. A first write command is received from a host comprising first data and a first logical block address (LBA). The first data is written to a first memory segment and the first LBA is first mapped to a first physical block address (PBA) of the first memory segment. During a garbage collection operation, the first data is copied from the first memory segment to a second memory segment and the first LBA is second mapped to a second PBA of the second memory segment. After the garbage collection operation, a read command is received from the host comprising the first LBA. A selection is made between the first and second memory segments, and at least part of the first data is read from the selected memory segment.

Abstract: Write pointer management for a disk drive including a disk having a plurality of sectors and a non-volatile memory (NVM) for storing data. Data is sequentially written sector by sector on the disk. The data written in a sector includes a write status indicator indicating that data has been written in the sector. A write pointer is stored on the disk or the NVM as a check-pointed write pointer. The write pointer corresponds to a current sector for writing data on the disk. During a write pointer recovery process, the check-pointed write pointer is retrieved, and at least one write status indicator is scanned in a range of sectors from the sector corresponding to the retrieved check-pointed write pointer and a last sector to identify the current sector for writing data. The write pointer is set to correspond to the identified current sector.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems and methods for optimizing handling of data access requests. In one embodiment, a data storage device including non-volatile memory and magnetic media includes a controller that defers writing data to the magnetic media by first writing to the non-volatile memory and reporting to the host a write complete status. However, in cases where the non-volatile memory includes Multi-Level Cell (MLC) memory, if the write data is to be written to an upper page of an MLC cell, a backup power source such as a capacitor may be needed to avoid the paired page corruption problem. Embodiments of the invention avoid the problem without the use of a backup power source by writing deferred write data to a portion of the MLC memory that is operating in Single-Level Cell (SLC) mode, i.e., only the lower pages of the memory cells are written.