Abstract: A magnetic disk memory is moved between a first position beyond the disk periphery to a second position proximate the disk periphery while the head is at an idle height above the disk face. The head is moved between the disk periphery and a third position at the edge of an area on the disk where data are located while the head is lowered and raised between the idle height and a hovering height above a face of the disk. An assembly carrying the head includes a radially extending arm, turned by a rotary DC motor. A continuous step excitation waveform is supplied to the motor as the head is driven between the first and second positions until the head arrives at one of the two positions. Each of the steps has a constant amplitude that differs from the immediately preceding step by a predetermined incremental value. All of the steps, except the last step, has the same predetermined duration.