Abstract: A disc drive with on-the-fly verification of an enabled condition of the write element, comprising a rotatable disc having a magnetic recording surface, and a data reading and writing assembly. The data reading and writing assembly comprises a read/write head comprising a write element and a read element, both adjacent the recording surface; a preamplifier comprising a write driver applying a series of write currents for writing data to the recording surface and a read amplifier for reading stored data from the recording surface; and an interconnect joining the write driver to the write element so as to generate time-varying magnetic fields selectively magnetizing the recording surface in response to the write currents, and joining the read amplifier to the read element so as to transduce magnetization vectors on the recording surface associated with stored data.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing disc drives. Before a pivot cartridge is assembled into a disc drive, impedance readings of the pivot cartridge are taken, preferably, at more than one rotational position and across a frequency range. The pivot cartridge is accepted for assembly into the disc drive only if its impedance readings compare favorably with readings taken of a good pivot cartridge. Otherwise, the pivot cartridge is rejected and the impedance readings are analyzed to provide identification of the defect in the pivot cartridge. In addition, a system and a storage device readable by a computer system for implementing the method of screening pivot cartridges and identifying causes of defects is provided.

Abstract: A method of calculating an amplitude decay rate of a magnetic storage medium. The method involves (a) writing a test track to the magnetic storage medium and measuring the initial amplitude of the test track to obtain a reference amplitude; (b) performing a DC erase on the test track; (c) measuring and storing the test track amplitude after step (b) together with a time at which the measurement was made; (d) writing a reference track; (e) measuring and storing the reference track amplitude after step (d); (f) repeating steps (b) to (e) until a DC erase amplitude decay rate has been established; and (g) calculating a normal amplitude decay rate for the magnetic storage medium from the DC erase amplitude decay rate.

Abstract: A disc drive with on-the-fly verification of an enabled condition of the write element, comprising a rotatable disc having a magnetic recording surface, and a data reading and writing assembly. The data reading and writing assembly comprises a read/write head comprising a write element and a read element, both adjacent the recording surface; a preamplifier comprising a write driver applying a series of write currents for writing data to the recording surface and a read amplifier for reading stored data from the recording surface; and an interconnect joining the write driver to the write element so as to generate time-varying magnetic fields selectively magnetizing the recording surface in response to the write currents, and joining the read amplifier to the read element so as to transduce magnetization vectors on the recording surface associated with stored data.

Abstract: A method of calculating an amplitude decay rate of a magnetic storage medium. The method involves (a) writing a test track to the magnetic storage medium and measuring the initial amplitude of the test track to obtain a reference amplitude; (b) performing a DC erase on the test track; (c) measuring and storing the test track amplitude after step (b) together with a time at which the measurement was made; (d) writing a reference track; (e) measuring and storing the reference track amplitude after step (d); (f) repeating steps (b) to (e) until a DC erase amplitude decay rate has been established; and (g) calculating a normal amplitude decay rate for the magnetic storage medium from the DC erase amplitude decay rate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing disc drives. Before a pivot cartridge is assembled into a disc drive, impedance readings of the pivot cartridge are taken, preferably, at more than one rotational position and across a frequency range. The pivot cartridge is accepted for assembly into the disc drive only if its impedance readings compare favorably with readings taken of a good pivot cartridge. Otherwise, the pivot cartridge is rejected and the impedance readings are analyzed to provide identification of the defect in the pivot cartridge. In addition, a system and a storage device readable by a computer system for implementing the method of screening pivot cartridges and identifying causes of defects is provided.