A magnetic disk device includes a disk has a first area in which data is written by first recording method such that a plurality of tracks are spaced from each other, and a second area written with data by second recording method such that adjacent tracks partially overlap, a head, and a controller. The controller is configured to control the head to write data to a track of the first or second area by the first or second recording method, and perform a retry operation when the data has not been written to the track successfully, and repeat the retry operation until the data is written successfully up to a predetermined number of times. When data is being written to a track of the first area, the retry operation is repeated up to a different number of times depending on a location of the track within the first area.

A method, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, includes forming various layers of a data read transducer structure and of a lower shield layer of a servo read transducer structure in an array with the data read transducer structure in common fabrication steps. The formed dielectric layers of both read transducer structures, coupled with the unique shield structure of the data read transducer structure, work in concert to provide robust resistance to asperity-induced shorting while also lower smaller read gap thickness.

Illustrative systems and methods disclosed herein may change or modify a seek during mid-seek for various reasons and may set seek speeds for various seeks to less than the maximum possible seek speed to, for example, facilitate seek target change or modifications mid-seek. For instance, the seek speeds for lower priority commands or commands at risk for deprioritization may be set to speeds less than the maximum possible seek speed.

According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk device includes a disk, a head including a main magnetic pole having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end in a radial direction of the disk, a write shield facing the main magnetic pole with a gap, and an assist element provided in the gap and at a position where a first distance between the first end and the assist element and a second distance between the second end and the assist element are different from each other, and a controller which controls a voltage applied to the assist element according to a shingled write direction in which a second track is overwritten on a first track.

A magnetic tape reading apparatus comprises an acquisition unit that acquires information on linearity of a servo pattern to be recorded on a servo band of a magnetic tape, a reading element unit in which at least two reading elements each of which reads data from a specific track region included in the magnetic tape are disposed, a servo reading element that reads the servo pattern, a control unit that performs control of positioning the reading element unit, a derivation unit that derives a deviation amount, and an extraction unit that extracts data recorded on the reading target track by performing a waveform equalization process on each reading result for the reading elements in accordance with the deviation amount.

A suspension for a disk device includes a load beam, a flexure and first and second damper members. The load beam includes a first surface, a second surface and first and second openings. The flexure includes first and second outriggers. The first outrigger includes a first branch portion through the first opening, a distal end thereof being interposed between the second surface and the first damper member. The second outrigger includes a second branch portion through the second opening, a distal end thereof being interposed between the second surface and the second damper member.

An approach to a reduced-head hard disk drive (HDD) involves an elevator platform assembly for moving an actuator assembly, one or more bearing assemblies, and a load/unload ramp along one or more support posts to provide a head slider access to at least two different recording disk media of a disk stack. The HDD may include a piezoelectric actuator locking mechanism integral to one of the bearing assemblies, such that actuation of the actuator either locks or unlocks the locking mechanism relative to a corresponding support post. When unlocked, the elevator platform assembly can be translated along the length of the disk stack via a motor.

A multi-layer piezoelectric microactuator assembly has at least one poled and active piezoelectric layer and one poled but inactive piezoelectric layer. The poled but inactive layer acts as a constraining layer in resisting expansion or contract of the first piezoelectric layer.

A storage device comprises tape reel(s) holding tape media for storing data, a head assembly, motor(s) configured to actuate the head assembly, a sealed casing, and a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) configured to control operations of the motor(s). The head assembly comprises a support structure, a head bar with read head(s) and write head(s), and a suspension system connecting the head bar to the support structure. The sealed casing encloses in its interior the tape reel(s), the head assembly, and the motor(s). Meanwhile, the PCBA is mounted on an external surface of the casing.

The present disclosure generally relates to tape heads for use in a tape drive system. The tape head includes a plurality of servo elements and a plurality of data elements disposed between the servo elements. An electrostrictive material is present in the tape head. Electrodes are coupled to the electrostrictive material to permit a voltage to be distributed across the electrostrictive material. The voltage causes the electrostrictive material to expand, and thus expand the tape head. By expanding the tape head by adding voltage, or contracting the tape head by lowering voltage, the spacing between adjacent data elements can be adjusted to match the spacing between adjacent data tracks on a tape.