Abstract: According to one embodiment, a disk storage apparatus includes a first storage device, a second storage device, and a controller. The first storage device stores data for use in determining influence imposed on tracks peripheral to a designated track in which data should be written on a disk. The second storage device has a nonvolatile cache area for temporarily storing data. The controller performs a cache process of storing the data in the nonvolatile cache area if the influence is determined, from the data, to exceed a reference value, in preparation for writing the data in the designated track.

Abstract: A magnetic disk device regularly monitors an abnormality in heads and, when detecting an abnormality in any head, transfers data in each cell corresponding to the head where the abnormality is detected to a replacement cell corresponding to another head. Then, in a management table, the magnetic disk device updates the logical address of the transfer-destination cell to the logical address of the transfer-source cell. Thereafter, the magnetic disk device deletes the data in the transfer-destination cell from the management table.

Abstract: To solve the conventional problem in a disk drive unit that frequent interruptions be produced in a processor each time a head transits on a servo gate. To cope with the above-mentioned problem, a head drive unit 17 performs an off-track check using servo information read by the head 2 whenever the head 2 transits on each servo gate. Thus, an interruption processing required by the processor 16 is limited to the cases of either an operation completion interruption which is produced when a read/write operation is completed normally, or an error interruption which is produced on occurrence of the off-track or read error. This enables to reduce the number of interruption processing times performed in the processor 16, which results in reducing the load of the processor 16.

Abstract: To solve the conventional problem in a disk drive unit that frequent interruptions be produced in a processor each time a head transits on a servo gate.

Abstract: First and second magneto-resistive effect elements (1) and (2) of a current perpendicular to plane type having magnetic flux sensing films are laminated through a nonmagnetic intermediate gap layer (3) in such a manner that their magnetic flux sensing films are located close to each other. Then, magneto-resistive change characteristics are caused to become opposite to each other so that a differential output between the output of the first and second magneto-resistive effect elements may be generated as a magnetic sensor output or a differential output between the output of the first and second magneto-resistive effect elements may be generated as a differential output in an external circuit configuration. In this manner, a resolution can be improved by a configuration in which a gap length, which decides a resolution, may not be restricted by a thickness of a magneto-resistive effect element. Therefore, restrictions imposed on the resolution in the MR magnetic sensor can be improved.

Abstract: A magneto-resistance effect device (MR device) in which stable magneto-resistance characteristics may be achieved even if a layer of a soft magnetic material is reduced in width. The MR device includes a layer of a soft magnetic material 1, a rear end electrode 4, connected to one longitudinal end of the layer of a soft magnetic material 1, and a forward end electrode 5 connected to the opposite end of the soft magnetic material 1. On both ends of the layer of the soft magnetic material 1 are arranged magnetic domain stabilizers 2, 3 generating a bias magnetic field having a component parallel to the direction of width of the layer of a soft magnetic material 1. If the bias magnetic field sufficient to overcome the longitudinal magnetostatic anisotropy can be impressed, the direction of magnetization D.sub.f of the mono-layer soft magnetic material 1 is oriented in the direction of width.

Abstract: A magneto-resistance effect magnetic head having a uniform bias distribution and adapted for avoiding shorting between a magneto-resistance device and a bias conductor wherein a magneto-resistance device 5 and a bias conductor 6 for applying a bias magnetic field to the magneto-resistance device 5 are interposed between a lower shielding magnetic member 1 and an upper shielding magnetic member 2. The bias conductor is embedded in a groove formed in the shielding magnetic member provided on the opposite side of forward and rear electrodes with respect to the magneto-resistance effect device.

Abstract: A magneto-resistive effect thin-film magnetic head including a magnetic layer exhibiting a magneto-resistive effect, the magnetic layer having a longitudinal axis and two ends positioned at opposite ends of the longitudinal axis, and a flux guide layer of a high magnetic permeability soft magnetic material formed at an overlapping one end of the magnetic layer, the flux guide layer having two opposite ends longitudinally aligned with the longitudinal axis of the magnetic layer. On overlapping both ends of the flux guide layer, there are formed separate hard fills operating as permanent magnets.