JPH04286769A - Magentic recording and reproducing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To always process filing data in a block unit by adding complementary data compensating the deficiency in a block length so that the filing data can always have the integral multiple of the block length. CONSTITUTION:This device processes, records and reproduces file data DATA by means of a prescribed block name as a unit. As for the filing data DATA whose data amount is not the multiple of the block length, a complementary data PD1 compensating the deficiency in the block length are added so that the filing data can always be the integral multiple of the block length. Thus, by changing the length of the DATA to be always the integral multiple of block length, the DATA can always be processed in the block unit. Thus, a bit error rate can be greatly improved.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Table of Contents] The present invention will be explained in the following order. Industrial application field Conventional technology (FIGS. 10 and 11) Problem to be solved by the invention (FIGS. 10 and 11) Means for solving the problem (FIGS. 8 and 9) Effect (FIGS. 8 and 9) ) Example (1) Overall configuration (FIGS. 1 to 7) (2) Configuration of example (FIGS. 8 to 9) (3) Effects of the invention of other examples

0002

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a magnetic recording/reproducing device, and can be applied to, for example, an external storage device for a computer.

0003

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in this type of magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus, recording tracks are sequentially formed diagonally on a magnetic tape.
A so-called ID-1 format data recorder that can record and reproduce desired data at high density has been proposed (ANSI x3.175-199019m).
m Type ID-1 Recorded Inst
rumentation).

That is, as shown in FIG. 10, in this type of data recorder, a magnetic tape 1 is wound around a rotating drum that rotates at a predetermined speed, and by running the magnetic tape 1 at a predetermined speed, the magnetic tape 1 is moved around the rotating drum. The mounted magnetic head sequentially records recording tracks TR (TR1) diagonally.
, TR2, TR3, TR4, TR1, TR2, . . . ), thereby recording desired data on the recording track TR1. Furthermore, at this time, the data recorder forms recording tracks TA, CTL, and TC extending in the longitudinal direction at the upper and lower ends of the magnetic tape 1, and
The track set ID of the recording track TR is recorded in the track set ID.

[0005] Here, the track set ID is absolute position information starting from the beginning of the magnetic tape 1, and is inserted between predetermined synchronization signals and is recorded on the recording track TR at four track cycles. There is. Furthermore, the recording tracks TA and TC are designed to be able to record user management data, etc.
By reproducing the TL and TC, data recorded at high density on the recording track TR can be easily searched.

Furthermore, in the data recorder, when recording data on the recording track TR, the data is recorded with a parity code for error detection and correction, which is a so-called product code. It is designed to ensure reliable recording and reproduction. That is, Figure 10
As shown in , the data recorder has a predetermined unit (=36,1
08 [BITE]) After importing the data DATA,
The data DATA is divided into 306 blocks, and each block is divided into 306 blocks.
n) error detection and correction code (i.e. C2 code)
Add.

Further, after dividing the block into first and second fields FIELD0 and FIELD1, a Reed-Solomon error detection and correction code (that is, a C1 code) is applied to each field FIELD0 and FIELD1 so as to be orthogonal to the C2 code. ) is added. This allows the data recorder to improve the bit error rate by correcting errors in reproduced data using the C1 and C2 codes during reproduction.

Furthermore, in the data recorder, when recording the data DATA to which the C1 and C2 codes have been added in this way onto the magnetic tape 1, interleaving processing is performed for each recording track TR, and as a result, even if a dropout occurs, the interleaving process is performed. , the data DATA can be reliably reproduced. That is, in the data recorder, arrows a1, a2, ..., an-1, an, a
For the data DATA input in the order shown by n+1, an+2, ... ax-1, ax,
As shown by b2, .

Furthermore, at this time, in the data recorder, a synchronizing signal SYNC and a sync block data ID are added to each predetermined unit (hereinafter referred to as a sync block), and preamble and postamble data are added as a whole to the data DATA. Record. As a result, during playback, the magnetic recording/reproducing device uses the track sync data included in the preamble as a reference to generate the synchronizing signal SYNC, sync block data ID, and data DA.
The TA can be reproduced and deinterleaved based on the synchronization signal SYNC and the sync block data ID.

Furthermore, by deinterleaving, even if dropout occurs, C1 and C
This effectively prevents errors exceeding the error correction capability of the two codes from concentrating in one place.

[0011]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the ID-1 format data recorder that records and reproduces desired data in this manner, the recording speed is about 10-10, which is sufficient for practical use mainly as a data recording and reproducing device for measurement. It is designed to guarantee a bit error rate of . If this bit error rate can be improved to about 10-15, it is thought that it can be applied to magnetic tape devices of computer systems such as those used in banks, etc., to store extremely important data. Therefore, the usability of this type of data recorder can be improved accordingly, and the field of application can be expanded. The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and it is an object of the present invention to propose a magnetic recording/reproducing device that can significantly improve the bit error rate compared to the conventional method.

0012

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve such problems, the present invention provides a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus 10 that processes, records, and reproduces file data DATA in units of a predetermined block length. Regarding the file data DATA of the data amount, supplementary data PD1 is added to compensate for the shortfall in the block length, so that the file data is always an integral multiple of the block length.

[0013]

[Operation] For file data DATA whose data amount is not an integral multiple of the block length, supplementary data PD1 is added to compensate for the shortfall in the block length, and the file data DATA is always an integral multiple of the block length. Processing can be performed on a block-by-block basis, thus significantly improving the bit error rate.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

(1) Overall configuration (1-1) Computer system configuration In Figure 1, 1
0 generally shows the schematic configuration of a computer system to which the present invention is applied, in which write data WR sent from the host computer 11 together with a write request is transmitted through the data recorder control device 12 as record data REC,
The data is supplied to a data recorder 13 in ID-1 format, whereby write data WR is written onto a recording track on the magnetic tape 1.

Furthermore, in response to a read request input from the host computer 11, the magnetic tape 1 of the data recorder 13 is reproduced, and the resulting reproduced data PB is sent to the host computer as read data RD through the data recorder control device 12. 11.

This data recorder control device 12 includes a host interface control section 14 and a format control section 1.
5, the host interface control unit 14 controls the channel interface with the host computer 11, and the format control unit 15 controls the memory 16.
The data to be sent to and received from the data recorder 13 is formatted using the data recorder 13. Further, control information is exchanged between the host interface control section 14 and the format control section 15 with reference to a control table 17.

As a result, in the computer system 10, since the data recorder control device 12 is provided, the data recorder 13 can be connected to the external storage device of the host computer 11 using an interface similar to a conventional magnetic tape device on the host computer 11 side. It is designed so that it can be used as a

(1-2) Recording area on magnetic tape In this computer system 10, as shown in FIG. The center portion of the tape, where the degree of damage is relatively small, is used as the recording area AREC, thereby improving the bit error rate.

That is, as shown in FIG. 2(A), the position 10 [m] behind the physical end PBOT of the magnetic tape 1 is set as the logical end LBOT, and the physical end PBOT of the magnetic tape 1 is set as the logical end LBOT. For example, 15 m from the terminal PEOT.
] is the logical end LEOT, and the area from the logical end LBOT to the logical end LEOT is the recording area A.
Used as REC.

In this recording area AREC, as shown in FIG.
For example, 5 from the logical tip LBOT as shown in B).
The area up to the position [m] behind is used as the directory information track area DITA.

[0022] Also, this directory information track area D
Following the ITA, with a non-recording area NRA of a predetermined length in between,
The area between the logical end LEOT and the near end NEOT, which is located 10 [m] before, is used as the user recording track area UDA, and
The area beyond T to the logical end LEOT is used as the volume end information area VEOVA.

(1-3) Recording track format In this computer system 10, the ID-
The user data area of 36,108 [BYTE] for one recording track specified in one format is
As shown in FIG. 3, the data is formatted and the formatted data is interleaved in units of four tracks, thereby improving the bit error rate.

That is, in the computer system 10,
As shown in FIG. 3(A), the write data WR from the host computer 11 is divided into 32,76 blocks, for example, 1 block per recording track TR, with 4 tracks as one set.
The data is recorded as recording data DATA of 8 [BYTE].

At this time, for one recording track TR, 3
Recorded data DATA less than 2,768 [BYTE]
By adding the first supplementary data PD1, the total number becomes 32,768 [BYTE]. Also, in order to store the attached information of this one recording track TR,
320 [BYTE] worth of subcode data SCD is prepared.

In addition to this, the data recorder control device 12
3 for every 94 [BYTE] of subcode data SCD, recording data DATA, or first supplementary data PD1.
As shown in (A), 8[B
Reed-Solom (YTE)
On) error detection and correction code (hereinafter referred to as C3 code C3 according to the C1 and C2 codes in the ID-1 format) is added, which enables more powerful error correction and reduces the bit error rate. This is done so that it can be further improved.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG.
Regarding subcode data SCD, recording data DATA, first supplementary data PD1 and C3 code C3, which are formatted in units of recording tracks, data for four recording tracks TR1, TR2, TR3, and TR4 are tracked using a predetermined method. interleave processing over a period of time,
This makes it possible to further improve the bit error rate.

[0028] In this way, the four recording tracks TR1, T
204 at the beginning of one recording track worth of interleaved data for R2, TR3, and TR4 minutes.
The second supplementary data PD2 of [BYTE] is added, and as a result, the total amount of data for one recording track TR is 36,108[
BYTE].

Furthermore, by formatting the second supplementary data PD2 at the beginning, the supplementary data PD2 is placed in the part of the recording track where the magnetic head enters, where the degree of damage to the magnetic tape 1 itself is high and the tracking is unstable. This allows recording data DATA
It is possible to further improve the bit error rate.

(1-4) Recording Track Layout In the case of this computer system 10, the attached information of the recording track 1 stored in the subcode data SCD is track type information indicating the type of the corresponding recording track TR. TRID, block number BLNO to which recording track TR belongs, file number FL to which recording track TR belongs
NO, write retry count R for recording track TR
Number of bytes of data included in TCT and recording track B
Consists of YCT, etc.

This track type information TRID includes a volume information table VIT and a file information table FI.
Type information of the update information table UIT, dummy data track information DMY, user data track information UDT, tape mark track information TM, or recording end information EOR is recorded.

Here, as actually shown in FIG. 5, first, the track type information TRID of the recording track TR formed in the directory information track area DITA of the magnetic tape 1 is
As such, the volume information table VIT, file information table FIT, update information table UIT, or dummy data track information DMY is used.

[0033] This directory information track area DIT
A directory information table DIT that manages the files on the magnetic tape 1 as a whole is recorded, and first 1.5 [m] from the logical end LBOT of the magnetic tape 1.
Following the rising area RUA, a recording track consisting of the volume information table VIT is recorded with four tracks consisting of a track set.

The recorded data DATA of the volume information table VIT includes the beginning and end position information of the data block recorded in the user recording track area UDA with the entire magnetic tape 1 as one volume, and the length information and recording of the file information table FIT. The block number of the data block for which the write retry was executed is recorded.

A file information table FIT is also recorded on the 256 recording track following the volume information table VIT. The recording data DATA of this file information table FIT records the head position information and block length of each file recorded in the user recording track area UDA.

Further, following the file information table FIT, dummy data track information DMY is created for a predetermined number of tracks.
is recorded, and the update information table U is updated for the following 4 recording tracks.
Record IT. In the record data DATA of this update information table UIT, information indicating whether or not there is an update is recorded.

[0037]Following this update information table UIT, from the beginning of the directory information track area DITA
Dummy data track information DMY is recorded on the recording track TR up to 2.5 [m], and the remaining 2.5 [m] of directory information track area DITA is used as a spare area M.
Secured as GA.

Next, as the track type information TRID of the recording track TR formed in the user recording track area UDA next to the directory information track area DITA of the magnetic tape 1 and sandwiching the non-recording area NRA, user data track information UDT, tape Mark track information TM
Or use the recording end information EOR.

The recording tracks TR of this user recording track area UDA are the user data tracks of a plurality of blocks constituting one file, which are sandwiched between the recording tracks TR of tape mark track information TM whose unit is four tracks. A recording track TR of information UDT is recorded, and a recording track TR of recording end information EOR is recorded following the last of the user data track information UDT.

Note that the recording data DATA of the tape mark track information TM and recording end information EOR includes 32, 7
The first supplementary data PD1 for 68 [BYTE] is recorded, and data corresponding to the write data WA input from the host computer 11 is recorded in the recording data DATA of the recording track TR of the user recording track area UDA.

In this way, this computer system 10
, a directory information track area DITA is provided at the beginning of the magnetic tape 1, and a user recording track area U is provided.
By managing the contents of the DA on a file-by-file basis, data recorded on the data recorder 13 can be accessed from the host computer 11 in the same way as an external recording device.

(1-5) Configuration of the recording format section of the format control section Here, the format control section 15 of the data recorder control device 12 in this computer system 10 has a recording format as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 together with the memory 16. 20 and a playback format section 40.

That is, in the recording format control section 20, the host interface control section 14, 32
The data for each bit is stored in the memory (i.e., first in first out) as 4-channel 8-bit parallel write data D0.
The write data D0 is synchronized with the internal clock CK by inputting it to the (FIFO) circuit 21 consisting of
2 and sends it to the CRC error detection circuit 23.

Note that the write data D0 is processed for every four channels inside the recording format control section 20, but in the description of the recording format control section 20, data for one channel will be explained.

The CRC error detection circuit 23 receives input data D.
CRC (cyclic redundancy)
y code) and inputs the detection result CRCK to the system control circuit 24, which has a computer configuration including a CPU.

Note that when the system control circuit 24 detects an error in the input data D1 based on the detection result CRCK of the CRC error detection circuit 23, it returns this to the host interface control section 14 as an error detection signal ER. As a result, for example, the host interface control unit 14 executes retransmission processing for the write data D0 in which the error exists.

The buffer memory 22 buffers the input data D1 by one recording track TR as described above with reference to FIG. 3, and stores the resulting recording data DATA.
The first buffer data D2 corresponding to the first buffer data D2 is sent to the first multiplexer 25.

In addition to the first buffer data D2, the first multiplexer 25 receives first supplementary data PD1 for tape mark track information TM sent from the tape mark generation circuit 26 and dummy data generation circuit 27, respectively. Dummy data track information DMY sent from
Dummy data for the first supplementary data PD for the recording data DATA sent from the supplementary data generation circuit 28
1 is input.

As a result, the first multiplexer 25 selects the recording data DATA of the first buffer data D2 according to the control signal CNT inputted from the system control circuit 24.
The second buffer data D3 is generated by adding the first supplementary data PD1 to the second buffer data D3, and is sent to the second multiplexer 29.

In addition to the second buffer data D3, the second multiplexer 29 receives the directory information table DIT sent from the directory information table memory 30, and the subcode generated by the subcode generation circuit 31 based on the contents of the directory information table 30. The subcode data SCD is input.

Practical directory information table memory 3
0 stores the directory information table DIT described above with reference to FIG.
IT length information and the block number of the data block for which write retry was performed during recording are generated.

As a result, the second multiplexer 25 assigns the subcode data S to the second buffer data D3 in accordance with the control signal CNT inputted from the system control circuit 24.
By adding the CD, the format described above with reference to FIG. 3 is formed, and this is sent to the C3 code generation circuit 32 as third buffer data D4.

The C3 code generation circuit 32 generates the C3 code C3 of 8 [BYTE] as described above with reference to FIG. Send.

The interleaving circuit 33 executes the interleaving process for the four tracks shown in FIG. 4 by sequentially loading four tracks of recorded track data D5 into the interleaving memory and outputting them in a predetermined order. The second recording track data D6 is sent to the third multiplexer 34.

The third multiplexer 34 receives, in addition to the second recording track data D6, the second supplementary data PD1 sent from the second supplementary data generating circuit 35 and the synchronization code generating circuit 36. Synchronization code data is input.

As a result, the third multiplexer 34 adds the second supplementary data PD2 and the synchronization code data to the second recording track data D6 in accordance with the control signal CNT inputted from the system control circuit 24. The obtained third recording track data D7 is sent to the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit 37.

The parallel-to-serial conversion circuit 37 converts the third recording track data D7 consisting of four channels of 8-bit parallel into 32-bit serial recording data S0, which is sent to the data recorder 13 as recording data REC through the output circuit 38. is input.

In this manner, the recording format control unit 20 of the format control unit 15 processes the write data D0 input from the host interface control unit 14.
3 to 5, the recording data REC is generated and recorded on the magnetic tape 1 based on the ID-1 format as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11.

(1-6) Configuration of the playback format section of the format control section In the playback format section 40 shown in FIG.
Serial playback data P played back by data recorder 13
B is input to the serial-parallel conversion circuit 41, and 32
The first bit consists of 4 channels of 8-bit parallel bits.
is converted into reproduced data D10, which is input to the deinterleaving circuit 42.

Similar to the interleave circuit 33 of the recording format unit 20, the deinterleave circuit 42 performs deinterleaving corresponding to the interleaving process of the interleave circuit 33 by sequentially taking in the first reproduced data D10 and outputting it in a predetermined order. The processing is executed, and the resulting second reproduced data D11 is input to the C3 error correction circuit 43.

The C3 error correction circuit 43 converts the C3 code C added by the C3 code generation circuit 32 of the recording format section 20.
3 is used to perform error correction processing on the second reproduced data D11, and the third reproduced data D1 obtained as a result
Send 2.

In fact, among this third reproduction data D12, as shown in FIG. 5, the data corresponding to the user recorded data track UDT is input to the buffer memory 44, and the data corresponding to the directory information table DIT is input to the subcode memory 45. and input into the directory information table memory 46.

The buffer memory 44 deletes the first supplementary data PD1 included in the third reproduced data D12,
This is input to the memory circuit 47 as fourth reproduction data D13 and synchronized with an external clock, and is sent to the host interface control section 14 as read data D14 outputted from the reproduction format control section 40.

Note that when the directory information table DIT input to the directory information table memory 46 is updated, the system control circuit 24 updates the directory information table DI with the data recorder control signal CDIR.
The update information UDD of T is sent to the data recorder 13, and the contents of the directory information table DIT on the magnetic tape 1 are updated.

The system control circuit 24 also outputs the output data D.
14, a control signal CHI is used to send a response to a data reproduction request inputted from the host interface control section 14.
It is sent to the host interface control unit 14 as C.

In this way, the playback format control section 20 of the format control section 15 performs the inverse formatting process of the formatting process described above in FIGS. 3 to 5 on the playback data PB played back by the data recorder 13. , generates read data D14 and sends it to the host interface control section 14.

(2) Structure of the Embodiment In FIGS. 8 and 9, 50 and 55 are first and second supplementary data addition devices, respectively, and the recording format control section 20 adds first and second supplementary data PD1. and P.D.
The configuration when adding 2 is shown.

That is, in the first supplementary data adding device 50 shown in FIG.
is input. This data memory 51 is stored in one block unit (for example, 32,768 [BYTE]) corresponding to the amount of recording data DATA for one recording track TR.
It is composed of a plurality of memory blocks.

Further, writing and reading operations of the data memory 51 are controlled in accordance with a data address supplied from an address pointer 52 inside the system control circuit 24 as a control signal CNT in response to an internal clock CK.

When inputting the input data D1 is started, the address pointer 52 sequentially writes the input data D1 to each memory block starting from a predetermined memory block, and also writes the first block information consisting of the block number of the memory block, etc. to the block information. Write to memory 53.

In reality, the input data D1 is input from the host interface control unit 14 in file units.
When input data D1 for one file ends, the data address normally ends in the middle of the memory block. The address pointer 52 transfers the final block information including the block number of the memory block at this time to the block information memory 53.
In this way, the input processing of one file's worth of input data D1 is completed.

The input data D1 written in the data memory 51 in this manner is read out under the control of the system control circuit 24. At this time, the address pointer 52
generates data addresses sequentially from the head of the memory block according to the head block information of the block information memory 53, and the input data D3 read in this way is used as the second address.
is input to the multiplexer 29 of.

This memory block reading process continues until the memory block corresponding to the final block information of the block information memory 53 is read out, and as a result, a block (that is, one recording track T) is read for one file of input data D3.
The first
Supplementary data PD1 can be added.

In this way, the first supplementary data addition device 50 can actually add data for one recording track TR without performing complicated processing such as separately generating the first supplementary data PD1 in the supplementary data generating circuit 28. As shown in FIG. 3, by processing the block information according to the
1 can be added.

On the other hand, the second supplementary data adding device 55 shown in FIG. .

As described above in FIGS. 3 and 4, this data memory 56 is configured to have a plurality of memory blocks each having a data amount of 35,904 [BYTE] for one recording track TR to be interleaved. Further, the supplementary data generation circuit 35 is configured to generate second supplementary data PD2 for 204 [BYTE].

Note that the data memory 56 executes write and read operations in response to a data address supplied from the address pointer 57 of the system control circuit 24 as a control signal CNT in response to the internal clock CK.

When the actually interleaved recorded track data D50 is input to the data memory 56,
Data amount for 1 recording track TR 35,904 [BYT
E] is sequentially written to the memory block every time.

[0079] Also, the read processing of the memory block has a data amount of 35,904 [BYTE] for one recording track TR.
The recording track data D6 obtained thereby is input to the selector circuit 58 forming a part of the third multiplexer 34.

[0080] Prior to reading each memory block, the selector circuit 35 is configured to send out the second supplementary data PD2 inputted from the supplementary data generating circuit 35 for 204 [BYTE] minutes, and after that, one block is read out. Recorded track data D6 for each recording is sent out.

In this way, the second supplementary data generating device 55 has a total of 35,904 [BY
TE] at the beginning of one recording track TR's worth of data.
By adding the second supplementary data PD2 of 204 [BYTE], the ID described above with respect to FIGS.
-1 format data recorder 13 generates user data for one recording track unit.

According to the above configuration, when the input data in file units is not an integral multiple of the block consisting of the data amount in units of one recording track, by adding supplementary data, the input data can be input in blocks. A magnetic recording/reproducing device capable of processing can be realized.

In this manner, the bit error rate as a whole can be significantly improved, and a magnetic recording/reproducing device suitable as an external recording device for the host computer system 11 can be realized.

(3) Other Embodiments (3-1) In the above-described embodiments, interleaving processing is performed on data every 4 tracks, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, interleaving processing is performed on data every 8 tracks. Interleaving processing may be performed on the data.

(3-2) In the above embodiment, the first
Although only the address is advanced when adding the supplementary data, instead of this, various data may be added as the first supplementary data. In this way, error detection processing can be performed using the first supplementary data, and thus the bit error rate can be further improved.

(3-3) In the above-described embodiments, the case where the present invention was applied to an external storage device of a computer was described, but the present invention is not limited to this, but can be widely applied to various magnetic recording and reproducing devices. be able to.

[0087]

As described above, according to the present invention, in a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus that processes, records, and reproduces file data in units of a predetermined block length, file data whose amount of data is not an integral multiple of the block length is By adding supplementary data to compensate for the shortfall in block length and making file data always an integral multiple of the block length, it is possible to realize a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus that can always process file data in units of blocks.

[0088] In this way, the bit error rate as a whole can be significantly improved, and a magnetic recording/reproducing device suitable as an external recording device for a host computer system can be realized.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a computer system to which a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining recording areas on a magnetic tape.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining the format of a recording track on a magnetic tape.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining interleave processing between recording tracks.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining a track format on a magnetic tape.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a recording format control section.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a reproduction format control section.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a first supplementary data addition device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a second supplementary data addition device.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a recording format on a magnetic tape according to the ID-1 format.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating interleave processing in ID-1 format.

[Explanation of symbols]

1...magnetic tape, 10...computer system, 1
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Host computer system, 12... Data recorder control device, 13... Data recorder, 15... Format control section, 16... Memory, 20... Recording format control section, 40... Playback format control section, 5
0...First supplementary data adding device, 55...First supplementary data adding device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claims: 1. A magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus that processes, records, and reproduces file data in units of a predetermined block length, in which the deficiency in the block length is compensated for the file data whose amount of data is not an integral multiple of the block length. A magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus characterized in that supplementary data is added so that the file data is always an integral multiple of the block length.