1. A method for handling a data storage error in a computer data storage system, comprising: receiving an I/O request; generating a status signal in response to the I/O request, the status signal indicating a failure of a storage media to which the I/O request was directed; determining, in response to the status signal, if the failure is a recoverable error; if the failure is a recoverable error, determining if the media is in a degraded state, where the media is in a degraded state if a data storage error has occurred and a parity protection method has not completed reconstruction of the data; if the media is not in a degraded state, reassigning the I/O request to a spare media, and if the media is in a degraded state not reassigning the I/O request; and if the failure is a non-recoverable error, using other error handling to recover lost data.