A two-step self-servowriting process first writes an intermediate pattern based on a reference pattern, and then writes a final pattern based on the intermediate pattern, wherein the reference pattern can be a printed media or a spiral pattern. Such an approach can be utilized to reduce the noise/runout, eliminate timing eccentricity, and increase the sample rate of the final pattern. This description is not intended to be a complete description of, or limit the scope of, the invention. Other features, aspects, and objects of the invention can be obtained from a review of the specification, the figures, and the claims.