Patent ID: 6043948
Filing Date: 2000-03-28
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
An information recording and reproducing apparatus, comprising:identifying means for identifying a loaded cassette as a first type tape cassette or a second type tape cassette;wherein the loaded cassette has a tape-shaped record medium in a cartridge, the first type tape cassette having a non-volatile memory in the cartridge, and the second type tape cassette not having a non-volatile memory in the cartridge;initializing means for initializing at least the non-volatile memory when the loaded cassette is the first type tape cassette and for initializing the tape-shaped record medium when the loaded cassette is the second type tape cassette; andrecording and reproducing means for recording and reproducing data to and from the tape-shaped record medium in the loaded cassette, the tape-shaped record medium being initialized by said initializing means;wherein said initializing means records initialization information in a list structure to the non-volatile memory of the first type tape cassette, andwherein said initializing means divides the tape-shaped record medium into a plurality of record blocks and creates management information as the initialization information for each record block so as to manage data recorded for each one of said plurality of record blocks in the list structure.