Potential data loss due to head/disk contacts during dynamic load/unload

A functioning IBM drive was converted into a component load/unload tester in order to determine the consequence of full-speed loading and unloading of a slider on top of magnetic data. Tests using this apparatus show that the disk scratch damage produced by load/unload is necessary but not sufficient to result in defects that are detectable by surface analysis test. Comparison of the AFM of the scratch damage sites with the MFM of the surrounding data bits shows that data loss results from the physical damage and that any magnetostriction effect is negligible.