According to one embodiment, a data storage apparatus includes a storage media and a controller. The controller is configured to execute a first process of reading or writing user data from or to the disk storage media which includes a plurality of recording areas, in accordance with a command requested via the host interface, the command including address information that are capable of specifying a recording area; to recognize a first area in which no user data is written, in a case of executing a second process different from the first process on the plurality of recording areas, without designating address information that are capable of specifying a recording area; and to execute the second process on a second area in which user data is written excluding the first area among the plurality of recording areas.

An information recording method of recording information is provided in an information recording medium having a plurality of recording layers including a first recording layer and a second recording layer located to be closer to a surface than the first recording layer, each of the plurality of recording layers includes a user data area for recording user data, a spare area for alternatively recording data of failed recording into the user data area, and a management information area for recording management information. The first recording layer is used as a recording object layer at start of recording. When any one of the user data area, the spare area, and the management information area of the first recording layer runs short of a free space, then the recording object layer of the user data area, the spare area, and the management information area is switched over to the second recording layer.

According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk device includes a disk including a first area where user data is written and a second area which is different from the first area, a head configured to write data to the disk and read data from the disk, and a controller configured to generate, when a first sector of a first track, which includes a first parity sector and the first sector which is different from the first parity sector in the first area, is reassigned to a second track in the second area, a second parity sector corresponding to the first sector.

Various embodiments for audibly mapping computing components in a computer storage system, by a processor device, are provided. In one embodiment, a method comprises creating a detectible audible pattern using an actuator arm and head assembly of a hard disk drive operating in the computer storage system for physically mapping the hard disk drive to a logical location within the computer storage system.

An information recording method of recording information is provided in an information recording medium having a plurality of recording layers including a first recording layer and a second recording layer located to be closer to a surface than the first recording layer, each of the plurality of recording layers includes a user data area for recording user data, a spare area for alternatively recording data of failed recording into the user data area, and a management information area for recording management information. The first recording layer is used as a recording object layer at start of recording. When any one of the user data area, the spare area, and the management information area of the first recording layer runs short of a free space, then the recording object layer of the user data area, the spare area, and the management information area is switched over to the second recording layer.

Various embodiments for audibly mapping computing components in a computer storage system, by a processor device, are provided. In one embodiment, a method comprises creating a detectible audible pattern using an actuator arm and head assembly of a hard disk drive operating in the computer storage system for physically mapping the hard disk drive to a logical location within the computer storage system.