Abstract: A dual channel helical scan recording system (30) includes a rotating dum (36) having sets of heads (W1, W2) (R1, R2) mounted on its peripheral surface (56). A set of write heads (W1, W2) is situated on an opposite side of the drum (36) from a set of read heads (R1, R2). The write heads (W1, W2) simultaneously write two adjaent tracks (T1, T2), which are read for verification 180 detrees later by corresponding read heads (R1, R2). The heads (W1, W2, R1, R2) are strategically mounted on the drum (36) with respect to angular and axial placement, and have selected head widths and azimuthal angles. Should a block of data (317) written to tape (32) be determined, during readback, to be bad block, that bad block is subsequently rewritten on the tape (32) in the course of writing good blocks and amongst other good blocks. The rewritten block is recorded at a row position on the tape which is sufficiently displaced from the row position of a previous writing to avoid media defects occuring on the tape.

Abstract: A helical drive system (10) reads tracks (18) on a storage medium (12), including tracks which appear as distorted tracks. Each track (18) comprises a plurality of blocks of data, with each block having unique block-identifying information. A track-following servo system (84) causes a read head (16C) to traverse predetermined original azimuthal paths (P0) across the storage medium (12) for reading the blocks recorded along each of the original azimuthal paths (P0). A controller (50) uses the block-identifying information to determine whether any blocks expected to be read during the traversal of the original azimuthal paths (P0) were not read. If expected blocks were not read, the controller (50) repositions the storage medium (12) and directs that the medium (12) be re-read with the head (16C) positionally offset until the expected blocks are actually read. During the re-read attempts, the read head (16C) is positionally offset to traverse sets of modified azimuthal paths (P1, P2, P3, . . . P10 ).

Abstract: Apparatus and method are disclosed for enabling rapid search of magnetic tape having information helically recorded thereon. A tape mark, consisting of an analog signal, is recorded on the magnetic tape as a physical location reference in a manner such that the mark can be detected at both normal playback speed and at faster search speeds. The recorded analog signal provides a highly reliable indication of record boundaries, including end of file, end of volume, end of directory, and the like.