Improving the position control of the disk drive read/write heads is an important step in increasing the storage capacity of a drive, especially in the presence of internal and external disturbances. To address this problem, the typical feedback loop of a disk drive servo system was augmented with a disturbance observer. The disturbance observer uses the position error signal and a nominal model of the plant to create an estimate of the disturbance. This estimate is then used to compensate for the disturbance effects. No additional sensors are required, which is particularly relevant in products such as disk drives where cost is a major concern. The effectiveness of the disturbance observer in rejecting shock and vibration disturbances is demonstrated in simulation and shake table experiments. The vibration experiments showed a decrease in the position error of 61%-96% at frequencies below 100 Hz. The maximum position error due to an experimental shock disturbance was decreased by 59%. The effects of noise in the position error signal are also discussed.