Abstract: The disclosed technology provides for a method and system comprising determining a write-encroachment threshold of a recording medium, determining a track as off-track and one or more tracks substantially near the off-track as unwriteable, flagging the one or more tracks substantially near the off-track track, and writing write data for the one or more flagged tracks to a media cache. In a recovery process, the write data can be later transferred back to the flagged tracks.

Abstract: The disclosed technology provides for a method and system comprising determining a write-encroachment threshold of a recording medium, determining a track as off-track and one or more tracks substantially near the off-track as unwriteable, flagging the one or more tracks substantially near the off-track track, and writing write data for the one or more flagged tracks to a media cache. In a recovery process, the write data can be later transferred back to the flagged tracks.

Abstract: The disclosed technology provides for a method and system comprising determining a write-encroachment threshold of a recording medium as a percentage of cross-track width of tracks in the recording medium, determining a track as off-track based on a position error signal level for the track exceeding the write-encroachment threshold, flagging one or more tracks substantially near the off-track, and writing write data for the one or more flagged tracks to a media cache. In a recovery process, the write data can be later transferred back to the flagged tracks.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for verifying and controlling a clearance distance of an object, such as but not limited to a fly height of a read/write transducer adjacent a recording medium in a data storage device. In accordance with some embodiments, a sensor is used to sense a plurality of patterns from an adjacent surface, with each pattern being written at a different constant frequency. A final clearance distance between the sensor and the surface is established in response to a multi-frequency response ratio from the sensor and a single frequency response ratio from the sensor.

Abstract: In a disc drive, a slider having electronic communication with the surface of a data disc, the slider having a first up-track mill transition that has a transition mill to remove oblique mill transitions so that the transition has a substantially perpendicular portion that impacts contaminant particles on or near the disc surface. In other embodiments, other edges of the slider have transition mills to remove oblique transition mills from possible impact with such particles.

Abstract: The invention is generally directed to a slider that is particularly suited for dynamic load/unload disk drive designs. This slider desirably addresses potential disk damage associated with contact between sharp edges of the slider of the disk drive and the data storage surface of a corresponding disk. Any appropriate type/configuration of a disk drive may benefit from performing read/write operations utilizing the slider of the present invention. Generally, this slider includes at least one air bearing surface which enables the slider to “fly” above the read/write surface of the disk, and at least one self-blending contact pad disposed on the lower surface of the slider to reduce the potential for contact between any portion of the slider other than the self-blending contact pad(s) and the corresponding read/write surface of the disk.

Abstract: A slider for a disk drive is disclosed. In one embodiment, the slider includes an air bearing pad that contains a read/write transducer. This particular air bearing pad is small. High pressures are exerted on this small air bearing pad while the slider is flying in vertically spaced to its corresponding data storage disk. Pressures in excess of 500 psi may exist on this air bearing pad. In any case, this air bearing pad provides a significant portion of the total lifting forces for flying the slider in vertically spaced relation to its corresponding data storage disk or the like. As such, any expansion of the air bearing pad toward the data storage disk during read/write operations does not result in any significant loss of fly height.

Abstract: The invention is generally directed to a slider that is particularly suited for dynamic load/unload disk drive designs. This slider desirably addresses potential disk damage associated with contact between sharp edges of the slider of the disk drive and the data storage surface of a corresponding disk. Any appropriate type/configuration of a disk drive may benefit from performing read/write operations utilizing the slider of the present invention. Generally, this slider includes at least one air bearing surface which enables the slider to “fly” above the read/write surface of the disk, and at least one self-blending contact pad disposed on the lower surface of the slider to reduce the potential for contact between any portion of the slider other than the self-blending contact pad(s) and the corresponding read/write surface of the disk.

Abstract: A flying slider is disclosed for a rigid disk drive application. The slider includes a wear pad disposed at least substantially at its trailing edge on a lower surface thereof. An appropriate transducer(s) is typically embedded within this wear pad. One or more air bearing surfaces are disposed on the lower surface of the slider as well for allowing the slider to fly relative to the disk. At least one of these air bearing surfaces is disposed close to this wear pad, but is separated therefrom by a recess which is of a depth so as to not have the wear pad function as an air bearing surface. On the initial operation of the disk drive with the described slider therein, the uplifting forces applied to the slider by the noted air bearing surfaces are insufficient to dispose the wear pad above the glide avalanche of the disk or to fly the slider such that the wear pad is disposed above the glide height.