Method of detecting changes in operability status of a slider mover in a disk drive

A method for monitoring the operability of a slider of a disk drive, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a slider that includes a read/write head and a spaced apart slider mover that adjusts a head-to-disk spacing;
• controlling an electrical stimulus with a drive circuitry to deliver power to the slider mover;
• measuring an actual electrical response from the slider mover with the drive circuitry;
• and
• determining an actual resistance of the slider mover with the drive circuitry based on the electrical stimulus and the actual electrical response.

A method for monitoring the operability of a slider of a disk drive, the method comprising the steps of:

• directing an electrical current to a read/write head that magnetically interacts with a storage disk;
• adjusting a head-to-disk spacing by controlling an electrical stimulus to a slider mover that is electrically isolated from the read/write head with a drive circuitry to deliver power to the slider mover;
• measuring an actual electrical response from the slider mover with the drive circuitry;
• comparing the actual electrical response to an expected electrical response to determine an operability status of the slider mover;
• monitoring changes in the actual electrical response over time;
• and
• predicting the timing of a future failure of the slider mover with the drive circuitry based on the change in the actual electrical response over time.