Embodiments of the invention provide a magnetic disk drive having
increased efficiency of generation of power for its internal low-voltage
blocks. In one embodiment, a magnetic disk drive comprises a main power
supply unit for supplying power of a predetermined voltage to a load, the
main power supply unit including a switching regulator; a power
monitoring circuit for detecting the power supplied from the main power
supply unit to the load and for determining whether the detected power
exceeds a predetermined power level; and a third power supply unit, if it
is determined that the power supplied from the main power supply unit to
the load exceeds the predetermined power level, for supplying power of
the predetermined voltage to the load, the third power supply unit
including a linear regulator.