Disk drive device and method for controlling the same

A method for controlling the operation of a disk drive device in which a read/write head mounted on a head support arm flies above a surface of a rotating recording disk to read data from or write data to the disk, the head support arm movable by a driver along a radial direction of the recording disk, the method comprising steps of:

• (i) detecting a current value applied to the driver to keep the read/write head at a selected radial position;
• (ii) comparing the detected current value with a reference current value which represents a current value applied to the driver to keep the read/write head at the selected radial position at a reference atmospheric pressure to generate a difference value between the detected current value and the reference current value;
• and
• (iii) prohibiting an operation for lowering the flying height of the read/write head when the difference value exceeds a threshold value.

A disk drive device in which a read/write head mounted on a head support arm flies above a surface of a rotating recording disk, and the head support arm is movable by a head moving means along a radial direction to position the read/write head at a radial position above the recording disk, the disk drive device comprising:

• means for detecting a value of atmospheric pressure during a power on reset period before a read/write period;
• means for storing information indicating whether the detected value of the atmospheric pressure is lower than a threshold value;
• and
• means for 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 prohibited.