Patent ID: 7930467
Filing Date: 2011-04-19
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method of converting a hard disk drive (HDD) from a hybrid HDD to a normal HDD, the HDD having a normal hard disk and a non-volatile cache, the method comprising: determining whether a mode conversion flag is enabled during a power-on period; operating the HDD as the normal HDD when the mode conversion flag is enabled; determining whether an operating mode of the HDD is a normal mode or a hybrid mode when the mode conversion flag is disabled; operating the HDD as the normal HDD when the operating mode of the HDD is the normal mode; determining whether the total number of defective blocks in the non-volatile cache is greater than a predetermined threshold when the operating mode of the HDD is the hybrid mode; operating the HDD as the hybrid HDD when the total number of the defective blocks is not greater than the threshold; and enabling the mode conversion flag and operating the HDD as the hybrid HDD when the total number of the defective blocks is greater than the threshold.