Abstract

A method and system are described for preventing data loss from an off-track write condition in a disk drive. In accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the disk drive comprises a disk surface comprising a first track and a second track adjacent to the first track, and a head for writing data to and reading data from the first and second tracks. The method of recovering from the off-track write condition comprises the steps of receiving a write command to write a first series of data blocks on the first track. Before writing the first series of data blocks, a second series of data blocks stored in the second track is read and stored in a data buffer. Writing the first series of data blocks on the first track is initiated, and while writing the first series of data blocks, detecting a signal indicating the head may have wandered toward the second track and in response to the signal: aborting the writing of the first series of data blocks; repositioning the head on the first track and performing track following; writing at least a portion of the first series of data blocks to the first track; and writing at least a portion of the second series of data blocks, stored in the data buffer, to the second track.