Disk drive device and method for controlling the same

摘要

The invention relates to a magnetic recording device which can be used at a reduced atmospheric pressure without having the head/slider assembly stick to the disk. A method of the present invention for controlling the operation of a disk drive device in reduced atmospheric pressure where a read/write head mounted on a head support arm flies above the surface of a rotating recording disk. The head support arm is moved along a radial direction of the recording disk to position the read/write head to one of cylinder positions of the recording disk. The method comprises steps of (i) detecting a value of the reduced atmospheric pressure during a power on reset period before a read/write period, (ii) storing information indicating whether the detected value of atmospheric pressure is lower than a threshold value, and (iii) accessing, during the read/write period, the stored information to determine whether an operation for lowering a flying height of the read/write head to a height which is lower than a height for the read/write operation should be inhibited.