Patent ID: 7200771

Claim:
A method in a computer system for relocating defective sectors on a formatted disk, comprising: performing standard data processing of a predetermined set of logical sectors that are mapped to a first plurality of physical sectors, wherein the first plurality of physical sectors reside in a first area of the formatted disk identifying as a defective sector those sectors of the first plurality of physical sectors in which an error is encountered during standard data processing; storing defect information in a memory for each of the defective sectors that are mapped to by the plurality of logical sectors; continuing standard data processing or the predetermined set of logical sectors; upon completion of the standard data processing for the predetermined set of logical sectors performing a seek command to a second area of the formatted disk; and performing relocation based on the defect information stored in the memory, wherein the relocation includes re-mapping the plurality of logical sectors, that were mapped to defective sectors, to a second plurality of physical sectors, wherein the second plurality of physical sectors reside in the second area of the formatted disk.