Compensating for loss of current through shorted tunneling magnetoresistance sensors

A computer system comprising:

• one or more computer processors;
• one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media;
• and
• program instructions stored on the one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more computer processors, the program instructions comprising:
• program instructions to, for a magnetic head having multiple TMR read sensors, set a first voltage limit for a plurality of parts and a second voltage limit for all of the parts;
• program instructions to determine a number of TMR read sensors which are allowed to function between the first and the second voltage limits using a probability algorithm, wherein the probability algorithm is configured to determine the probability that one or more defective tracks are selected when a number of tracks are selected and limits the number of tracks selected for the second voltage limit based on a statistical algorithm of selecting one or more defective tracks, and wherein the probability that application of the second voltage limit will result in a dielectric breakdown within an expected lifetime of a drive is below a threshold value;
• program instructions to, responsive to determining a number of TMR read sensors which are allowed to function at voltages between the first and second voltage limits, determine a number of TMR read sensors which are allowed to function at the second voltage limit;
• program instructions to detect a problem associated with a track;
• program instructions to, responsive to detecting a problem associated with a track, measure a resistance of the track;
• program instructions to determine whether the resistance of the track has dropped below an initial value by at least a predetermined value;
• program instructions to, responsive to determining the resistance of the track is below an initial value and the voltage limit was not set to the second voltage limit, set the voltage limit of the track to the second voltage limit;
• program instructions to, responsive to determining the resistance of the track is below an initial value and the voltage limit was set to the second voltage limit, set the voltage limit of the track to a third voltage limit, wherein the third voltage limit is less than the first voltage limit;
• program instructions to, responsive to detecting a short from a scratching particulate across a tunnel junction of the TMR read sensor for a particular track or section of a particular track, record a resistance drop value, a tape, and a section of the tape for which the short occurred;
• program instructions to perform at least one of:
• remove the particular track from circulation to block access to the section of the tape where the short from the scratching particulate is detected;
• block access to the section of the particular track where the short from the scratching particulate is detected;
• and
• decrease a tape velocity when a recording head passes over the section of the tape where the short is detected to lower an energy impact on the section of tape where the short is detected;
• program instructions to rewrite data from a defective section of the tape to another section of the tape to avoid a loss of data;
• and
• program instructions to, in response to blocking access to the section of the particular track where the short from the scratching particulate is detected, record information detailing the blocked access to the section of the particular track.