Abstract: In general, techniques are described for monitoring health of a head in a magnetic data storage drive. A health controller may be configured to receive multi-variate sensor signals indicative of a respective reference value at least one head parameter, wherein the respective reference value is based in part on at least one initial measurement of parameters of the head obtained at a first time, determine a respective predicted current value based at least in part on a respective fixed-drift model and the multi-variate sensor signals, determine a respective actual current value that is based at least in part on at least one current measurement of the head obtained at a second time later than the first time, determine a health status for the head, and store the health status in memory.

Abstract: In general, techniques are described for monitoring health of a head in a magnetic data storage drive. A health controller may be configured to receive multi-variate sensor signals indicative of a respective reference value at least one head parameter, wherein the respective reference value is based in part on at least one initial measurement of parameters of the head obtained at a first time, determine a respective predicted current value based at least in part on a respective fixed-drift model and the multi-variate sensor signals, determine a respective actual current value that is based at least in part on at least one current measurement of the head obtained at a second time later than the first time, determine a health status for the head, and store the health status in memory.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system for implementing head degradation detection and prediction for hard disk drives (HDDs) are provided. Statistical parameter stability tests are used that are calculated as Confidence Intervals (CIs) from HDD parameter measurements. HDD parameters include, for example, change or delta in fly height (dFH), magnetic resistor resistance (MRR) head values, servo variable gain amplifier (SVGA) readback amplitude values, that are used in conjunction with two or more confidence level indicators and an Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving-Average (ARIMA) (p, d, q) predictor for head degradation detection and field failure prediction.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system for implementing head degradation detection and prediction for hard disk drives (HDDs) are provided. Statistical parameter stability tests are used that are calculated as Confidence Intervals (CIs) from HDD parameter measurements. HDD parameters include, for example, change or delta in fly height (dFH), magnetic resistor resistance (MRR) head values, servo variable gain amplifier (SVGA) readback amplitude values, that are used in conjunction with two or more confidence level indicators and an Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving-Average (ARIMA) (p, d, q) predictor for head degradation detection and field failure prediction.