Pre-programming of a preamplifier in a disk drive to improve servo-writing characteristics

1. A self servo-writing disk drive that pre-programs a preamplifier to improve servo-writing characteristics, the self servo-writing disk drive comprising:

a head to write and read servo sectors to and from a disk;

a preamplifier coupled to the head to amplify servo signals associated with the servo sectors, the preamplifier having preamplifier write settings that are programmable;

a processor to implement operations including:

writing servo sectors to define track bands according to sets of write setting values, the preamplifier adjusting write signals utilizing a set of write setting values for each track band;

determining servo variable gain amplifier values associated with the tracks bands;

selecting a set of write setting values associated with a minimum servo variable amplifier gain;

programming the preamplifier write settings with the selected set of write setting values; and

self servo-writing the disk with servo sectors utilizing the selected set of write setting values.

2. The disk drive of claim 1 , wherein the write setting values include at least one of a write current value, an overshoot amplitude value, and an overshoot duration value.

3. The disk drive of claim 2 , wherein the write setting values are selected to optimally balance media saturation characteristics and erase band characteristics for the disk.

4. The disk drive of claim 1 , the processor to implement further operations including obtaining an orthogonal array of sets of write setting values.

5. The disk drive of claim 4 , wherein the orthogonal array is a Taguchi orthogonal array.

6. The disk drive of claim 4 , wherein a set of write setting values from the orthogonal array is selected for each track band.

7. The disk drive of claim 1 , wherein OD track bands are written near an outer diameter (OD) of the disk, MD track bands are written near a middle diameter (MD) of the disk, and ID track bands are written near an inner diameter (ID) of the disk.

8. The disk drive of claim 7 , wherein a set of write setting values associated with a minimum servo variable gain amplifier value are selected and averaged for the OD track bands, the MD track bands, and the ID track bands, and the preamplifier write settings are programmed with the averaged write setting values.

9. The disk drive of claim 1 , wherein the servo sector includes at least a preamble and a plurality of servo bursts.

10. The disk drive of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of heads, wherein each head is associated with a respective disk and a preamplifier, wherein, for each head, the associated preamplifier is programmed with a selected set of write setting values associated with a minimum servo variable gain amplifier value for the associated disk.

11. In a self-servo writing disk drive that includes a head to write and read servo sectors to and from a disk and a preamplifier coupled to the head, the preamplifier to amplify servo signals associated with the servo sectors and having preamplifier write settings that are programmable, a method to pre-program the preamplifier with optimized preamplifier write settings to improve servo-writing characteristics, the method comprising:

writing servo sectors to define track bands according to sets of write setting values, the preamplifier adjusting write signals utilizing a set of write setting values for each track band;

determining servo variable gain amplifier values associated with the tracks bands;

selecting a set of write setting values associated with a minimum servo variable gain amplifier value;

programming the preamplifier write settings with the selected set of write setting values; and

self servo-writing the disk with servo sectors utilizing the selected set of write setting values.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of write setting values include at least one of a write current value, an overshoot amplitude value, and a overshoot duration value.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising selecting write setting values to optimally balance media saturation characteristics and erase band characteristics for the disk.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising obtaining an orthogonal array of sets of write setting values.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the orthogonal array is a Taguchi orthogonal array.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein a set of write setting values from the orthogonal array is selected for each track band.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

writing a first set of OD track bands near an outer diameter (OD) of the disk;

writing a second set of MD track bands near a middle diameter (MD) of the disk; and writing a third set of ID track bands near an inner diameter (ID) of the disk.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

selecting a set of write setting values associated with a minimum servo variable gain amplifier value for the OD track bands, the MD track bands, and the ID track bands;

averaging the selected sets of write setting values for the OD track bands, MD track bands and ID track bands; and

programming the preamplifier write settings of the preamplifier with the averaged write setting values.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the servo sector includes at least a preamble and a plurality of servo bursts.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the disk drive includes a plurality of heads, each head being associated with a respective disk and a preamplifier, wherein, the method further comprises programming the associated preamplifier of each head with a selected set of write setting values associated with a minimum servo variable gain amplifier value for the associated disk.

21. A self servo-writing disk drive that pre-programs a preamplifier to improve servo-writing characteristics, the self servo-writing disk drive comprising:

a head to write and read servo sectors to and from a disk;

a preamplifier coupled to the head to amplify servo signals associated with the servo sectors, the preamplifier having preamplifier write settings that are programmable;

means for writing servo sectors to define track bands according to sets of write setting values, the preamplifier adjusting write signals utilizing a set of write setting values for each track band;

means for determining servo variable gain amplifier values associated with the tracks bands;

means for selecting a set of write setting values associated with a minimum servo variable gain amplifier value;

means for programming the preamplifier write settings with the selected set of write setting values; and

means for self servo-writing the disk with servo sectors utilizing the selected set of write setting values.

22. The disk drive of claim 21 , wherein the write setting values include at least one of a write current value, an overshoot amplitude value, and an overshoot duration value.

23. The disk drive of claim 21 , further comprising means for obtaining an orthogonal array of sets of write setting values.

24. The disk drive of claim 23 , wherein the array is a Taguchi orthogonal array.

25. The disk drive of claim 21 , wherein OD track bands are written near an outer diameter (OD) of the disk, MD track bands are written near a middle diameter (MD) of the disk, and ID track bands are written near an inner diameter (ID) of the disk.