The scanning micromechanical probe control system for controlling relative movement between a sensor probe and an adjacent sample surface includes a sensor probe for measuring a parameter which varies relative to the relative positioning of the probe and the adjacent surface adapted to generate an error signal indicating one of at least two discrete position conditions; an up/down counter for integrating the error signal and for generating an up/down count signal; and a position control servo for controlling the relative positioning of the probe and the surface responsive to the up/down count signal. An adaptive feedback control most preferably controls the rate of up/down positioning of the sensor probe and the rate of raster scanning of the probe relative to the target surface.