Patent ID: 6882496

Claim:
In a disk drive having a disk formatted with a plurality of concentric data storage tracks and having an actuator for positioning a head over the data storage tracks between an outer diameter (OD) limit and an inner diameter (ID) limit for reading and writing data, the disk drive being configured to meet a targeted data storage capacity by allocating data storage tracks between the OD and ID limits, a method for improving seek performance of the disk drive comprising the steps of: scanning the data storage tracks between an initial OD limit and an initial ID limit to flag data storage tracks which are not suitable for storing data; analyzing a band of data storage tracks nearest to and including the initial OD limit to determine a track defect density based on flagged data storage tracks within the band of data storage tracks; if the track defect density of the band of data storage tracks exceeds a predetermined threshold, then reconfiguring the disk drive by adjusting the initial OD and ID limits to exclude the analyzed band of data storage tracks and to maintain the targeted data storage capacity; wherein adjusting the initial OD and ID limits improves the seek performance which would otherwise be disproportionately impacted by the track defect density in the analyzed band of data storage tracks.