A magnetic disk apparatus includes a magnetic disk, a magnetic head slider, a controller for controlling a position of the magnetic head slider, and an load/unload mechanism for loading or unloading the slider to the disk. The disk includes a track and has at least a load zone of a predetermined length in a peripheral direction thereof for performing loading of the magnetic head slider on a surface of the disk utilizing the load/unload mechanism, a specific pattern recorded in front of the load zone in the peripheral direction thereof, and a data zone provided in front of the specific pattern in the peripheral direction thereof. The controller reads out the specific pattern recorded on the disk utilizing the slider, and controls the position of the slider so as to move the slider while avoiding the load zone.