Patent ID: 6785077
Filing Date: 2004-08-31
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A method for testing at least one data track to determine whether bytes of user data stored thereon represent the value zero (zero data bytes), the disc drive adapted to perform on-the-fly error correction code (ECC) correction of data bytes, the method comprising steps of:(a) reading a data track; (b) performing on-the-fly counting of potential non-zero data bytes (potential count); (c) performing on-the-fly counting of sectors on which ECC correction has been performed (corrected sector count); (d) performing on-the-fly counting of user data bytes on which ECC correction has been performed (corrected byte count); and (e) checking whether at least one of the following conditions exists to confirm that the data track includes only zero data bytes: (1) the potential count is zero; (2) the corrected sector count is equal to the potential count; and (3) the corrected sector count is one and the corrected byte count is equal to the potential count.