Patent ID: 7656763

Claim:
A method of performing a defect scan for a disk drive, the disk drive comprising a disk, and a head actuated over the disk, the method comprising: (a) recording data on a first data area of the disk substantially free from defects and on a second data area of the disk substantially affected by at least one defect; (b) initializing a defect scan parameter with an initial setting; (c) reading the first data area to determine a first defect threshold, and reading the second data area to determine a second defect threshold; (d) saving a margin representing a difference between the first and second defect thresholds; (e) adjusting the setting for the defect scan parameter; (f) repeating (c) and (d) at least once; and (g) selecting a first setting for the defect scan parameter in response to the margins saved at element (d).