Testing magnetic disk performance with a single slider simulating sliders of various disk drive systems

1. A test system operable to test recording performance of a magnetic disk for certification with a plurality of disk drive systems, the test system comprising:

a controller; and

an actuator configured with a slider that includes a read head, a write head, and a heating element, wherein the actuator is operable to suspend the slider above the magnetic disk and wherein the slider is operable to access digital data stored on the magnetic disk via the read and write heads,

wherein the controller is operable to transfer a first control signal to the heating element to provide a first spacing between the slider and the magnetic disk,

wherein the controller is further operable to transfer a second control signal to the heating element to change from the first spacing to a second spacing between the slider and the magnetic disk, and

wherein the controller is further operable to simulate the recording performances of first and second disk drive systems with the magnetic disk based on the first and second spacings to certify the magnetic disk for installation with the first and the second disk drive systems.

2. The test system of claim 1 , wherein sliders of the first and second disk drive systems are different.

3. The test system of claim 1 , wherein the control signals comprise an electrical current operable to heat the heating element via resistance heating.

4. The test system of claim 1 , wherein the recording performances include soft error rates associated with the first and second spacings.

5. The test system of claim 1 , wherein sliders of the first and second disk drive systems have different magnetic core widths.

6. The test system of claim 1 , wherein sliders of the first and second disk drive systems have different signal to noise ratio characteristics.

7. The test system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further operable to transfer a third control signal to the heating element to change from the second spacing to a third spacing between the slider and the magnetic disk,

wherein the third spacing differs from the first and second spacings, and

wherein the controller is further operable to simulate a recording performance of a third disk drive system based on the third spacing to certify the magnetic disk for third disk drive system.

8. A method of testing recording performance of a magnetic disk, the method comprising:

configuring the magnetic disk within a test system;

spinning the magnetic disk;

positioning a slider proximate to the magnetic disk,

transferring a first control signal to a heating element in the slider to provide a first spacing between the slider and the magnetic disk;

simulating recording performance of a first disk drive system with the magnetic disk at the first spacing to certify the magnetic disk for installation with the first disk drive system;

transferring a second control signal to the heating element in the slider to provide a second spacing between the slider and the magnetic disk, wherein the first and second spacings are different; and

simulating recording performance of a second disk drive system with the magnetic disk at the second spacing to certify the magnetic disk for installation with the second disk drive system.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising measuring soft error rates of the magnetic disk at the first and second spacings.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein sliders of the first and second disk drive systems have different magnetic core widths.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein sliders of the first and second disk drive systems have different signal to noise ratio characteristics.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein sliders of the first and second disk drive systems are different.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

transferring a third control signal to the heating element in the slider to provide a third spacing between the slider and the magnetic disk, wherein the third spacing differs from the first and second spacings; and

simulating the recording performance of a third disk drive system with the magnetic disk at the third spacing to certify the magnetic disk for installation with the third disk drive system.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein transferring the control signals comprises increasing an electrical current to the heating element to resistively heat the heating element and change the spacings between the slider and the magnetic disk.

15. A magnetic disk testing software product operable within a test system to test recording performance of a magnetic disk for a plurality of disk drive systems, the software product configured on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and comprising instructions to direct a controller of the test system to:

spin the magnetic disk;

position a slider proximate to the magnetic disk,

transfer a first control signal to a heating element in the slider to provide a first spacing between the slider and the magnetic disk;

simulate recording performance of a first disk drive system with the magnetic disk at the first spacing to certify the magnetic disk for installation with the first disk drive system;

transfer a second control signal to the heating element in the slider to provide a second spacing between the slider and the magnetic disk, wherein the first and second spacings are different; and

simulate recording performance of a second disk drive system with the magnetic disk at the second spacing to certify the magnetic disk for installation with the second disk drive system.

16. The software product of claim 15 , further comprising instructions to direct the controller of the test system to measure soft error rates of the magnetic disk at the first and second spacings.

17. The software product of claim 15 , wherein sliders of the first and second disk drive systems have different magnetic core widths.

18. The software product of claim 15 , wherein sliders of the first and second disk drive systems have different signal to noise ratio characteristics.

19. The software product of claim 15 , further comprising instructions to direct the controller of the test system to:

transfer a third control signal to the heating element in the slider to provide a third spacing between the slider and the magnetic disk, wherein the third spacing differs from the first and second spacings; and

simulate the recording performance of a third disk drive system with the magnetic disk at the third spacing to certify the magnetic disk for installation with the third disk drive system.

20. The software product of claim 15 , further comprising instructions to direct the controller of the test system to increase an electrical current to the heating element to resistively heat the heating element and change the spacings between the slider and the magnetic disk.