A computer-implemented method, according to one embodiment, includes: receiving, from a tape drive, a first error location on a magnetic tape where a first error occurred, in addition to determining one or more areas on the magnetic tape to be examined based on the first error location. Independent of a read and/or write operation, the tape drive is instructed to induce relative motion between a tape head and the magnetic tape such that the tape head is positioned adjacent to each of the respective one or more areas in turn. Moreover, each of the one or more areas having a respective number of measured servo errors which exceeds a threshold value is identified as a damaged area of the magnetic tape.

A computer program product, according to one embodiment, includes a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith. The program instructions are readable and/or executable by a processor to cause the processor to: determine, by the processor, a first error location on a magnetic tape where a first error occurred. One or more areas on the magnetic tape to be examined are also determined, by the processor, based on the first error location. Independent of a read and/or write operation, relative motion between a tape head and the magnetic tape is induced by the processor, such that the tape head is positioned adjacent to each of the one or more areas in turn. Moreover, each of the one or more areas having a respective number of measured servo errors which exceeds a threshold value are identified, by the processor, as a damaged area of the magnetic tape.

According to one embodiment, an electronic communication device includes a controller which controls, according to the number of bit data in which an error has occurred of packet data transferred in serial communication, whether to start logging of information about the error of the packet data or stop logging of information about the error of the packet data.

A system, according to one embodiment, includes: a processor, and logic that is integrated with the processor, executable by the processor, or integrated with and executable by the processor. Moreover, the logic is configured to: detect, by the processor, a change in a resistance value of at least one of a plurality of detector structures, for identifying a defect on a magnetic medium. Each of the detector structures includes a pair of conductive layers separated by an insulating material. However, none of the detector structures include an operable reader for reading data from a magnetic medium. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are described in additional embodiments.

A tape drive system for ensuring tape data integrity by tape surface inspection, the tape drive system being configured for reading and writing data from/to a magnetic tape, is provided. The tape drive system includes a laser inspection unit comprising a sender and a receiver integrated into the tape drive system, wherein the laser inspection unit configured for recognizing a tape defect by scanning the magnetic tape when the tape drive system is in operation. The tape drive system includes a read/write head configured for acting together with the laser inspection unit as sensors for providing sensor data during a read/write operation of the tape drive system, a communication link between the sensors and a controller unit for exchanging sensor data. The controller is configured for evaluating sensor data and for triggering predefined actions based on the respective evaluation results such that the tape data integrity is ensured.

Systems and methods are disclosed for reducing adjacent track erasure from write retry operations. In certain embodiments, an apparatus may comprise a circuit configured to abort a write operation while writing to a selected sector of a disc storage medium during a first revolution of the disc storage medium, and mark the selected sector as a temporary bad sector in a mapping table. The circuit may perform a write retry to continue the write operation starting at a next sector contiguously following the selected sector, without attempting to write the selected sector again, during a second revolution of the magnetic disc.

According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk device includes a magnetic disk, a first magnetic head and a second magnetic head that are moved independently of each other, a first controller chip, a second controller chip, and a third memory. The first controller chip includes a first processor and a first memory, and controls the first magnetic head. The second controller chip includes a second processor and a second memory, and controls the second magnetic head. Management information is stored in the third memory. The first controller chip is connected to the third memory. The second controller chip is connected to the third memory via the first controller chip. The second controller chip saves the management information into the second memory.

According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk device includes a magnetic disk, a first magnetic head and a second magnetic head that are moved independently of each other, a first controller chip, a second controller chip, and a third memory. The first controller chip includes a first processor and a first memory, and controls the first magnetic head. The second controller chip includes a second processor and a second memory, and controls the second magnetic head. Management information is stored in the third memory. The first controller chip is connected to the third memory. The second controller chip is connected to the third memory via the first controller chip. The second controller chip saves the management information into the second memory.

According to one embodiment, a disk device includes a disk, a head that performs data read/write processing on a recording region of the disk, a controller that performs a media scan processing for detecting the presence or absence of a defect in a sector in the recording region of the disk in track unit. When the controller performs the media scan processing on a first sector and a second sector arranged in the track, and a third sector arranged between the first sector and the second sector, the controller performs skip processing in which the controller scans the first sector and the second sector, and does not scan the third sector.

A system, according to one embodiment, includes: a processor, and logic that is integrated with the processor, executable by the processor, or integrated with and executable by the processor. Moreover, the logic is configured to: detect, by the processor, a change in a resistance value of at least one of a plurality of detector structures, for identifying a defect on a magnetic medium. Each of the detector structures includes a pair of conductive layers separated by an insulating material. However, none of the detector structures include an operable reader for reading data from a magnetic medium. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are described in additional embodiments.