1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic recording apparatus such as a magnetic disk drive.
2. Related Background of the Invention
As magnetic recording apparatus, those employing magnetic recording media such as magnetic disks with magnetic heads using magnetoresistive devices have widely been in use. It is necessary for these magnetic recording apparatus to have an excellent resistance against external shocks, prevent malfunctions such as read errors from occurring, and so forth.
Therefore, a magnetic recording apparatus equipped with a so-called load/unload mechanism which holds a magnetic head in a state unloaded from a magnetic recording medium when not operated and loads the magnetic head again at the time of operation in order to improve the shock resistance of the magnetic recording apparatus has been known (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. HEI 11-345471).
Further, a magnetic recording apparatus employing a method of applying a magnetic field to an unloaded magnetic head so as to remagnetize the magnetic head in order to suppress the occurrence of Barkhausen noise in the magnetic recording apparatus and prevent read errors from happening has been proposed (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-150510).