Patent ID: 8810953

Claim:
A magnetic disk device, comprising: a magnetic disk medium; at least one magnetic head, comprising: at least one of: a magnetic read element and a magnetic write element; and a heating element configured to generate heat upon application of a voltage/current thereto, wherein the heating element is positioned on, near, or within the magnetic head; a drive mechanism for passing the magnetic disk medium over the at least one magnetic head; and a controller electrically coupled to the at least one magnetic head for controlling operation of the at least one magnetic head, wherein the controller is configured to: detect a state of the magnetic head based on increased read-out errors, and retract the at least one magnetic head from a flying state above the magnetic disk medium and apply the voltage/current to the heating element while the magnetic head is retracted without causing irreversible plastic deformation of the magnetic head in response to the detected state in order to decrease read-out errors.