Method and apparatus for head crash predictive failure analysis based upon slider track misregistration measurement using the readback signal

Apparatus for head crash predictive failure analysis based upon slider track misregistration measurement using the readback signal comprising:

• a head and disk controller;
• said head and disk controller for selecting a transducer head and for positioning said transducer head off-track;
• a readback signal obtained from said transducer head positioned off-track;
• signal processing means for processing said readback signal;
• a compare for comparing said processed readback signal with historical values to identify head disk interference;
• and
• said compare for predicting a head crash failure, responsive to said compared processed readback signal and historical values identifying head disk interference.

A computer program product for head crash predictive failure analysis based upon slider track misregistration measurement using the readback signal, said computer program product including a plurality of computer executable instructions stored on a computer readable medium, wherein said instructions, when executed by a direct access storage device, cause the direct access storage device to perform the steps of:

• selecting a transducer head;
• positioning said transducer head off-track;
• obtaining a readback signal from said transducer head positioned off-track;
• processing said readback signal;
• comparing said processed readback signal with historical values to identify head disk interference;
• and
• predicting a head crash failure, responsive to said compared processed readback signal and historical values indicating head disk interference.