Abstract: A method for manufacturing a disk drive. One or more legacy components, such as heads, are installed in a next generation disk drive of a prespecified capacity. Control parameters of the disk drive are modified so that the drive functions with the legacy head(s) for providing the prespecified capacity.

Abstract: Air bearing sliders that achieve fly height profiles which allow improved areal density and file capacity. The sliders include angled features in such a way that they align with the air skew at textured zones on a disk. The angled features are selected to create a first air pressure distribution at first predetermined radii of the recording medium and a second air pressure distribution at second predetermined radii of the recording medium. The spacing profile may be obtained by skewing the whole or a portion of one or more rails with respect to the air bearing slider edges. In designs with a center rail, the spacing profile may be customized by skewing the center rail. Further optimization may be provided by altering the taper of the rail widths. Still further, the entire slider can be mounted with a skew with respect to the suspension to achieve the required fly height profile variations rather than skewing one or more of the rails.

Abstract: An air bearing slider for use in carrying a transducer adjacent a recording medium exhibits reduced sensitivity to variations in roll, crown, and skew. In one embodiment, the slider comprises an air bearing slider having a pair of substantially coplanar side rails disposed along the sides of the air bearing surface so as to form a recessed section between the side rails. The recessed section is open at both the leading and trailing ends of the slider while each side rail has a tapered section or etched step at the leading edge of the slider. One rail carries the transducer and extends for the entire length of the slider body. The rail without a transducer extends from the leading edge toward the trailing edge, but does not extend all the way to the trailing edge. Under some skew, accessing, and crash stop impact conditions, the resulting slider roll causes the flying height of the inactive rail to drop.

Abstract: An air bearing slider for use in carrying a transducer adjacent a recording medium exhibits reduced sensitivity to variations in roll, crown, and skew. In one embodiment, the slider comprises an air bearing slider having a pair of substantially coplanar side rails disposed along the sides of the air bearing surface so as to form a recessed section between the side rails. The recessed section is open at both the leading and trailing ends of the slider while each side rail has a tapered section or etched step at the leading edge of the slider. One rail carries the transducer and extends for the entire length of the slider body. The rail without a transducer extends from the leading edge toward the trailing edge, but does not extend all the way to the trailing edge. Under some skew, accessing, and crash stop impact conditions, the resulting slider roll causes the flying height of the inactive rail to drop.

Abstract: An air bearing slider for use in carrying a transducer adjacent a recording medium exhibits reduced sensitivity to variations in roll, crown, and skew. In one embodiment, the slider comprises an air bearing slider having a pair of substantially coplanar side rails disposed along the sides of the air bearing surface so as to form a recessed section between the side rails. The recessed section is open at both the leading and trailing ends of the slider while each side rail has a tapered section or etched step at the leading edge of the slider. One rail carries the transducer and extends for the entire length of the slider body. The rail without a transducer extends from the leading edge toward the trailing edge, but does not extend all the way to the trailing edge. Under some skew, accessing, and crash stop impact conditions, the resulting slider roll causes the flying height of the inactive rail to drop.