Hard disk system with non-volatile IC based memory for storing data

1. A hard disk system comprising:

a hard disk configured to store user data, wherein a master list is configurable to identify a physical location of at least one block of data associated with a file of the user data; and

a nonvolatile integrated circuit-based memory, the nonvolatile integrated circuit-based memory configured to store the master list associated with the hard disk, wherein the nonvolatile integrated circuit-based memory further comprises a magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM);

wherein the magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) requires a programming voltage having a magnitude of no more than 5.5 volts.

2. The hard disk system of claim 1 wherein the nonvolatile integrated circuit-based memory is configured to store the master list at a variable location.

3. The hard disk system of claim 1 wherein the hard disk additionally stores the master list, thereby implementing a backup of the master list for the hard disk system.

4. The hard disk system of claim 3 wherein the hard disk is configured to store the master list at variable locations.

5. The hard disk system of claim 1 wherein the hard disk additionally stores utilization data that provides information about use of the user data stored on the hard disk.

6. The hard disk system of claim 1 wherein the master list of the nonvolatile integrated circuit-based memory is updated under control of a processor in response to new information being written to the hard disk.

7. The hard disk system of claim 1 wherein the master list is stored only in the nonvolatile integrated circuit-based memory of the hard disk system.

8. The hard disk system of claim 1 wherein the master list comprises physical locations of each of a plurality of sectors storing a block of data of a file of user data.

9. The hard disk system of claim 1 wherein the master list comprises a physical location of a sector storing a first ordered block of data of a file of user data.

10. The hard disk system of claim 1 further comprising:

a processor coupled to the hard disk and the nonvolatile integrated circuit-based memory to control storing data in the hard disk and the nonvolatile integrated circuit-based memory; and

a program memory section coupled to the processor, for storing program data used by the processor, the program memory section being implemented in the nonvolatile integrated circuit-based memory, thereby storing the master list and the program data in a same integrated circuit.

11. A method of implementing a hard disk system comprising:

configuring a hard disk to store user data, at least one block of which is stored at a physical location within the hard disk that is identified by a master list; and

storing the master list associated with the hard disk in a nonvolatile integrated circuit-based memory of the hard disk system;

wherein the nonvolatile integrated circuit-based memory of the hard disk system is implemented as a magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM);

wherein the magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) requires a programming voltage having a magnitude of no more than 5.5 volts.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the master list is only non-volatilely stored in the hard disk system in the nonvolatile integrated circuit-based memory.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

storing the master list in both the nonvolatile integrated circuit-based memory and in the hard disk.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

using the master list stored in the nonvolatile integrated circuit-based memory to implement an out or order retrieval of the user data stored on the hard disk.

15. A storage system comprising:

a non-integrated circuit-based media configured to store user data for the storage system, wherein system data is configurable to identify a physical location of at least one block of data associated with a file of user data being stored; and

a nonvolatile integrated circuit-based memory, the nonvolatile integrated circuit-based memory is configurable to store the system data associated with the non-integrated circuit-based media;

wherein the system data comprises a master list that contains an identification of the location;

wherein the nonvolatile integrated circuit-based memory further comprises a magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM);

wherein the magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) requires a programming voltage having a magnitude of no more than 5.5 volts.

16. The storage system of claim 15 wherein the system data comprises additional data that is used to access the non-integrated circuit-based media for storing user data.

17. The storage system of claim 16 wherein the additional data further comprises at least one of a list identifying defective sectors in the non-integrated circuit-based media or a list identifying unused sectors in the non-integrated circuit-based media.

18. The storage system of claim 15 wherein the non-integrated circuit-based media further comprises:

at least one of a hard disk, an optical based media, a tape, or a magneto-optic storage device.

19. The storage system of claim 15 wherein the nonvolatile integrated circuit-based memory stores both the system data and program code that a processor executes to perform operations.

20. The storage system of claim 18 wherein storage locations of the system data within the integrated circuit-based memory are changeable during operation of the storage system.

21. A storage system comprising:

a non-integrated circuit-based media configured to store user data for the storage system, wherein system data is configurable to identify a physical location of at least one block of data associated with a file of user data being stored; and

a nonvolatile integrated circuit-based memory, the nonvolatile integrated circuit-based memory is configurable to store the system data associated with the non-integrated circuit-based media;

wherein the nonvolatile integrated circuit-based memory further comprises utilization data that provides information regarding access of the non-integrated circuit-based media for data accesses of user data;

wherein the nonvolatile integrated circuit-based memory further comprises a magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM);

wherein the magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) requires a programming voltage having a magnitude of no more than 5.5 volts.

22. A storage system comprising:

a non-integrated circuit-based media configured to store user data for the storage system, wherein system data is configurable to identify a physical location of at least one block or data associated with a file of user data being stored; and

a nonvolatile integrated circuit-based memory, the nonvolatile integrated circuit-based memory is configurable store the system data associated with the non-integrated circuit-based media;

wherein the system data includes information allowing out of order retrieval of stored user data from the non-integrated circuit-based media;

wherein the nonvolatile integrated circuit-based memory further comprises a magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM);

wherein the magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) requires a programming voltage having a magnitude of no more than 5.5 volts.

23. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory array operably coupled to the processor for non-volatilely storing program data and user data, wherein the program data and user data may be programmed with a program voltage having a magnitude of no more than 5.5 volts;

wherein the memory array further comprises a magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM).