A disk drive device in which emergency unloading at the start of the engine is
prevented, a head may have a prolonged life and improved reliability as an HDD
is achieved. A disk drive device is driven or the movement of a magnetic head is
allowed after an engine start in a vehicle is detected by an engine start detecting
part, so that emergency unloading can be prevented at the start of the engine.
In order to detect the engine start, voltage values on four power supply lines
for a vehicle power supply device are monitored or the outputs of various sensors
such as a tachometer, a vibration detection sensor, an engine sound detection sensor,
a vehicle speed pulse, a gyro sensor and a parking brake are monitored. In another
embodiment, the number of emergency unloading occurrence at the start of the engine
is reduced, which allows the head to have a prolonged life, so that the disk drive
device has improved reliability as an HDD. The voltage values on two power supply
lines, first and second power supply lines for a vehicle power supply device are
monitored. The magnetic head is allowed to move when the voltage values on the
first and second power supply lines attain a prescribed value after a prescribed
time period after the voltage value on the first power supply line attains prescribed value.