The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for detecting and monitoring a bi-state head when self-servowriting a disk drive. In one embodiment, an integration window is opened about an expected time that a read head will read spiral servo information. An integration value associated with the integration window is determined. Next, a determination is made as to whether the integration value is less than a predetermined low amplitude limit. If it is, a comparison is made between a location of a maximum sync frame of a read signal envelope in the integration window and the center of the integration window. The read head is identified as a bi-state head if the location of the maximum sync frame is greater than a predetermined off-center limit relative to the location of the center of the integration window.