Patent ID: 6320714
Filing Date: 2001-11-20
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
In a disc drive head-disc assembly having an array of discs adjacent an actuator supporting a maximum number of heads in a fully populated configuration and a reduced number of heads in a depopulated configuration, each head disposed at a unique head position of the actuator, a method for determining the configuration of the head-disc assembly, comprising steps of:(a) prior to spin-up of the discs, determining a first impedance of a first write element at a first selected head position having a head when the head-disc assembly is fully populated, but not when the head-disc assembly is depopulated;(b) identifying the configuration of the head-disc assembly as fully populated when the first impedance is less than a predetermined threshold; and(c) identifying the configuration of the head-disc assembly as depopulated when the first impedance is greater than the predetermined threshold.