Patent ID: 7861961

Claim:
A method for utilizing a tape leader in a tape drive system, the method comprising: receiving a first tape leader into the tape drive system; buckling the first tape leader to a drive reel leader; threading the first tape leader and a second tape leader connected to the first tape leader through a tape path and across a tape head within the tape drive system using the drive reel leader; retracting head protect pins while the second tape leader is still in the tape path and across the tape head; and performing read/write operations on a data storage media, wherein the data storage media is coupled to the first tape leader via the second tape leader inserted between the first tape leader and the data storage media and a thickness of the second tape leader is less than a thickness of a first tape leader/second tape leader interface and greater than a thickness of a data storage media/second tape leader interface, wherein the second tape leader includes a uniform taper from a first tape leader interface thickness to a data storage media thickness.