Storage module and method for improving boot time during block binary searches

A storage controller is configured to find a last-written page in a block in a memory by sending a command to the memory to read a page of data, receiving at least some of the data from that page, and analyzing the at least some of the data from that page to determine if that page is a written page. In one embodiment, the storage controller instructs the memory to read the page of data using a sense time that is shorter than a sense time used to read a page of data in response to a read request from a host controller. Additionally or alternatively, the amount of the data received by the storage controller can be less than the amount of data received when reading a page of data in response to a read request from a host controller.