Data recovery apparatus and method used for flash memory

1. A data recovery apparatus used for a flash memory that includes data areas and index areas in which values indicating whether data stored in the respective data areas are valid are recorded, comprising: a controller that performs a data operation at each of a plurality of logical addresses, and if the data operations performed at the plurality of logical addresses are successful, records a mark value in a last index area of a plurality of index areas respectively corresponding to the plurality of logical addresses.…
Read More

Seagate Announced Restructuring Plan To Further Reduce Operating Costs

Seagate Technology announced it has initiated a restructuring plan that includes a reduction of approximately 1,100 employees or 2.5% of the company’s global workforce. This reduction is required to support a targeted run rate of product development and marketing and administrative costs of less than $300 million per quarter and to position the company to be cash flow and earnings positive within its fiscal year 2010.…
Read More

The Information about Linux Desktop from IBM

21 May 2009: IBM announced the results of a study conducted by the I.T. analyst firm Freeform Dynamics, commissioned by IBM, which showed that Linux desktops were easier to implement than IT staff expected if they targeted the right groups of users, such as those who have moderate and predictable use of e-mail and office tools The research behind the report, “Linux on the Desktop: Lessons from Mainstream Business Adoption,” was designed, executed and interpreted independently by Freeform Dynamics.…
Read More

External Hard Disk Box

1. An external hard disk box, used for installing a hard disk, wherein there is a first fastening hole and a second fastening hole on a bottom and two sides of the hard disk, the external hard disk box comprising: a lower cover having a receiving space for receiving the hard disk, wherein there is a first positioning portion that corresponds to the first fastening hole on the bottom surface of the receiving space; an upper cover covering the lower cover; and at least one positioning structure located on one side of the receiving space, wherein the positioning structure has a second positioning portion that corresponds to the second fastening hole.…
Read More

Access control method and module with data recovery option for a hard disk

1. An access control method for a hard disk, comprising the steps of: (A) partitioning the hard disk into primary and secondary partitions; (B) in response to a write command from a host terminal for storing write data in an addressable space found in the primary partition of the hard disk, (i) creating a recovery file that includes a write time, an address of the addressable space, and recover information including a starting data found in the addressable space of the hard disk during the write time, and (ii) storing the write data in the primary partition at the address of the addressable space, and the recovery file in the secondary partition; and (C) in response to a recover command from the host terminal, (a) retrieving the recovery files from the secondary partition, the write time in each of the retrieved recovery files being not earlier than a recovery time associated with the recover command, and (b) based on the contents of the recovery files retrieved in sub-step (a), restoring the primary partition to the starting data initially found therein during the recovery time.…
Read More

Preventive recovery action in hard disk drives

1. A method in a data processing system for minimizing read/write errors caused by impaired performance of a hard disk drive during runtime operation of said hard disk drive, said runtime operation including an active mode during which read/write operations are performed and a standby mode during which no read/write operation is underway, said method comprising the steps of: monitoring at least one performance parameter of a hard disk drive during said standby mode of operation; and in response to detecting a degraded value of said at least one performance parameter during said monitoring, performing preventive recovery action only during said standby mode of operation, wherein said preventive recovery action includes restoring said performance parameter to an acceptable value without interfering with hard disk drive operation during an active mode.…
Read More

Data clock recovery circuit

1. A variable phase oscillator comprising: an oscillator having a substantially fixed frequency output signal; means for periodically generating coded phase values of said oscillator output signal, said generating means including means for quantizing the phase value of said oscillator output signal into a predetermined number of phase steps; a source of a prescribed phase value; and means for comparing said periodically generated coded phase values and said prescribed phase value to periodically generate output pulse signals.…
Read More

Stored data recovery system

1. A method for recovering data from a flash data storage system, the method comprising the steps of: loading flash data storage media into a device using a flash data storage system, said device being connected to a technical workstation; loading all physical sectors of the flash data media into memory of the technical workstation or remotely controlling the flash data storage system through hardware/software; whereupon data storage on the flash data storage media can be diagnosed and rectified through operation of the data recovery computer portion of the technical workstation.…
Read More

Magnetic disc drive head alignment system

1. In a disc drive which includes a plurality of read/write magnetic heads and a servo magnetic head mounted for simultaneous movement by an actuator in response to a servo signal from the servo head, and in which the positions of the read/write heads are individually adjustable with respect to the servo head, a system for indicating any misalignment of the individual read/write heads as the particular head produces a cyclic position signal in response to position signals pre-recorded on alignment tracks of an alignment disc, each cycle of said cyclic position signal having a first segment with positive and negative peak amplitudes and a second segment with positive and negative peak amplitudes, the positive and negative peak amplitudes of said first and second segments being equal when the particular head is in registry with the corresponding alignment track, and the positive and negative peak amplitudes of one or the other segments decreasing when the particular head moves out of registry with the alignment rack to one side or the other thereof; said system including balanced gating circuitry having four output circuits for respectively producing four gating signals respectively timed to occur in time coincidence with respective ones of the positive and negative peak amplitudes of said first and second segments; a balanced input circuit connected to the particular head and including first and second outputs respectively applying the cyclic position signal and its complement to said gating circuitry to cause said gating circuitry to cause said gating circuitry to produce said four gating signals at the respective output circuits thereof; peak detector circuitry including four peak detector circuits respectively connected to said four output circuits of said gating circuitry to be individually gated by respective ones of said four gating signals, means connecting two of said peak detector circuits to the first output of said balanced input circuit and further means connecting the other two of said peak detector circuits to the second output of said balanced input circuit, said four peak detector circuits collectively detecting the positive and negative peak amplitudes of each of the two segments of each cycle of said position signal and providing four analog outputs corresponding thereto; and output circuitry connected to the outputs of said four peak detector circuits in said peak detector circuitry for producing an analog output signal having an amplitude corresponding to the difference between the algebraic sum of the positive and negative peak amplitudes of the first segment and the algebraic sum of the positive and negative peak amplitudes of the second segment.…
Read More