Patent ID: 8760791

Claim:
A magnetic storage system comprising: a read and write device configured to (i) magnetically write data on a platter, and (ii) read, via a read element, the data written magnetically on the platter, wherein the read element includes a first terminal and a second terminal, and wherein the first terminal of the read element is biased at a first voltage, and the second terminal of the read element is biased at a second voltage; a transistor comprising a gate, a source, and a drain, wherein the transistor is closed responsive to the gate not receiving power, and wherein the source of the transistor is biased at the first voltage, and the drain of the transistor is biased at the second voltage, wherein responsive to the gate of the transistor receiving power, the transistor is configured to provide an open circuit between the first terminal of the read element and the second terminal of the read element, and responsive to the gate of the transistor not receiving power, the transistor is configured to short the first terminal of the read element to the second terminal of the read element; a first limiting circuit configured to limit the first voltage biasing (i) the source of the transistor and (ii) the first terminal of the read element; a second limiting circuit configured to limit the second voltage biasing (i) the drain of the transistor and (ii) the second terminal of the read element; and a third limiting circuit configured to limit a voltage drop (i) across the source of the transistor and the drain of the transistor, and (ii) across the first terminal of the read element and the second terminal of the read element.