Compatibility Check:
Verify that PCB is
properly coupled with appropriate HDA, ROM revision compatibility and Microcode
revision compatibility.
Defect Management:
TeraSci, with its internally developed microcode capabilities, utilizes the
manufacturer's Primary Defect Map Process. TeraSci does not use the typical FAT
table management process most commonly used in the repair industry today (low
level formatting).
Manufacturer’s "P" List:
When you
re-install software the errors will "Stay Gone", even upon re-formatting drives.
The TeraSci process insures that the errors remain in the OEM Primary defect
list. A bad sector is de-allocated and a spare is used in its place, as opposed
to MS DOS defect management tools where an error cluster is merely flagged. In a
2GB drive this cluster is 32K per defect and results in a loss of usable data
space on the drive. The TeraSci process uses the existing OEM spares sectors for
mapping (over 1,000 of these per drive) and therefore does not lose any
additional disk space as is the case in MS DOS defect management tools where
spares do not exist.
Most drive service centers use FAT table defective
management processes which are not provided by the OEM and therefore not really
the most efficient way to defect manage drives.
Scan disk is the MS DOS
or Windows program that provides a level of defect identification. But it is not
capable of reallocating errors back to the OEM’s original "P" List. Therefore,
there will still be errors on the drive. These errors will reappear if the user
re-formats the drive.
Defect mapping Features: (grown defects are
Scratches)
- Scratch Analysis
- Scratch - Extended
-
Scratch - Fill
The TeraSci process extends and fills scratches to insure
that defect growth doesn’t occur. This type of management can only be provided
in a Physical mode and not in a Logical mode.
Microcode Rewriting:
The Main Microcode that is
actually written on the HDA itself is rewritten during the TeraSci Microcode
handling process. Microcode is written in Multiple Images on the drives by the
manufacturer to safely insure the long-term operability of the drive. If all of
the images are lost, it is impossible to recover any data on the drive (through
any process).
What TeraSci provides is validation and rewrite of each of
the images to insure the long life of the drive. (If the drive won’t boot, then
no Commercially available data recovery service is effective.)
Microcode Image Checks:
Native Mode = Manufacturer's
Physical Mode
Microcode images are written multiple times on the drive. All
you need is one image to boot a drive. However, if the final image is lost, then
the drive will not boot at all.
Customer Unique Configurations:
We are able to provide reconfiguration of drives with TeraSci’s unique
microcode handling capabilities. This allows us to convert drives from one
specific application back into its generic OEM configuration or vice versa.
PCB Swapping:
ROM Microcode
compatibility:
If you blindly swap PCB’s without any consideration of
PCB/HDA compatibility, then frequently drives can develop errors and become
inoperative. TeraSci’s microcode tools allow us to take advantage of PCB
swapping and insure the highest yield possible.
Power Mode Testing:
Command sets associated with
increasing the life of the drive. OEM’s quote very long MTBF’s on new products
built, because the drive has a power mode feature allowing it to shut down when
not in use, extending the life of the drive. The command set to provide this
function must be executed properly to insure the drive will operate to meet some
level of expected MTBF.
Idle
Standby
Sleep
These are user programmable modes and can be enabled
or disabled. You can also set a clock to determine duration of this test mode.
If the clock is set too short then the system performance is affected. If they
are set too long, then the life of the drive is affected. This is a key issue
for the battery life of notebook computers. Power mode is a critical function in
the 2.5" drive world.
Run In Testing:
Drives are tested to insure Error Free Time. A minimum of 2 hours of burn-in
are provided to determine error free status of drive. Extended burn in programs
are available to meet customer requirements.
MTBF Analysis:
During the functional test sequence, the following tests are provided which
can provide useful indicators of the life expectancy of the drives:
Power Mode Check - Better Battery Life Indicator
Desktop MTBF -
Performance Issues
Seek Tests/Seek Time - Performance Issue
Settle time
- Performance Issue
PES (Position Error Signal) Check - Performance Issue
Seek Performance Testing:
Full servo
test - all IDE drives have embedded servo. TeraSci is one of the few companies
that can do actual Physical Seeks on all servo/data tracks as opposed
to a Logical Seek process utilized by most other drive repair
companies. Utilizing the actual OEM Physical parameters of the drive, along with
TeraSci’s thorough Physical Seek Test, adds a level of performance testing that
currently can only be found at the manufacturer's factory. This allows TeraSci
to provide defect mapping in the OEM burst error map.
Servo Burst Management:
For ten years TeraSci has
designed and shipped servo writers, Defect Management tools and process
equipment. TeraSci is very familiar with electronic servo patterns and
microcode.
The hard drive manufacturer has provided ways of repairing
minimal servo burst damage without actually re-servo writing the drive. TeraSci
has reversed engineered this OEM process and can provide the same level of servo
burst repair utilizing its own process.
Today, this type of technology
can generally be found only at the OEM level. TeraSci is one of the few
companies that can provide this level of service.
Some servo burst
errors can be mapped using the TeraSci error mapping software. If you only have
surface scanning features in your tester, then you are only capable of verifying
data but not able to remap the burst error. TeraSci’s software tools provide
Servo Burst repair capabilities through the Buss and do not require a cleanroom
process.
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Compatibility Check