High rpm hard disk drive testing
A method for performing a flaw scan test on a hard disk drive is disclosed. The hard disk drive includes a magnetic recording medium and spindle motor associated with a predetermined rated speed. The method includes writing a test pattern to the magnetic recording medium while operating the spindle motor at a speed greater than the predetermined rated speed. The method also includes reading the test pattern at the greater speed and detecting flaws in response to reading the test pattern.
1. A method for testing a hard disk drive, which includes a motor set to rotate at a predetermined rated speed, the method comprising:
subjecting the hard disk drive to a plurality of tests during which the motor operates at a first speed, the first speed being the predetermined rated speed; and
subjecting the hard disk drive to a high-rpm test during at least a portion of which the motor operates at a second speed greater than the predetermined rated speed.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second speed is 1,000 rpm greater than than the predetermined rated speed.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second speed is 1,000 rpm to 5,000 rpm greater than the predetermined rated speed.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined rated speed is one of 5,400; 7,200; 10,000; and 15,000 revolutions per minute.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the high-rpm test is a flaw scan test.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the flaw scan test comprises:
writing a test pattern to data tracks of a magnetic recording medium while the motor operates at the second speed.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the flaw scan test comprises:
reading a test pattern from data tracks of a magnetic recording medium while the motor operates at the second speed.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the flaw scan test further comprises:
identifying flaws within the data tracks in response to reading the test pattern while the motor operates at the second speed.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
generating a map of the identified flaws of the magnetic recording medium.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein generating the map includes determining a size and location of the identified flaws.
11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
storing the map to memory of the hard disk drive.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein generating the map includes normalizing a location of the identified flaws based on the predetermined rated speed.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the high-rpm test establishes servo parameters.
14. A method for performing a flaw scan test on a hard disk drive, which includes a magnetic recording medium and spindle motor associated with a predetermined rated speed, the method comprising:
writing a test pattern to the magnetic recording medium while operating the spindle motor at a speed greater than the predetermined rated speed;
reading the test pattern at the greater speed; and
detecting flaws in response to reading the test pattern.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the greater speed is 1,000 rpm to 5,000 rpm greater than the predetermined rated speed.
16. A testing system for scanning for flaws on magnetic recording media of hard disk drives, each hard disk drive having a spindle motor set to rotate at a predetermined rated speed, the testing system comprising:
a plurality of testing slots for receiving the hard disk drives; and
a controller configured to cause the testing system to implement a routine of:
operating the spindle motor of at least some of the hard disk drives in the plurality of testing slots at the predetermined rated speed during a plurality of tests, and
operating the spindle motor of at least some hard disk drives in the plurality of testing slots at a speed greater than the predetermined rated speed during a flaw scan test.
17. The testing system of claim 16 , wherein the flaw scan test includes:
writing a test pattern to the magnetic recording media,
reading the test pattern, and
detecting flaws in response to reading the test pattern.
18. The testing system of claim 17 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the testing system to implement a routine of generating a map of the detected flaws of the magnetic recording medium.
19. The testing system of claim 18 , wherein the map includes a location of each of the detected flaws.
20. The testing system of claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the testing system to implement a routine of storing the generated map to firmware in each of the hard disk drives.