Patent ID: 6850381

Claim:
A method of protecting data stored on a data storage media tape in a tape cartridge, comprising: (a) providing a cartridge of data storage media tape having a VCR (volume control region) region containing control information for the tape, a data storage region for reading data from the tape and writing data to the tape, and a blank region with no recorded data located between the VCR region and the data storage region of the tape; (b) loading the cartridge into a tape drive; (c) writing data to the data storage region of the tape; (d) moving the tape to the VCR region to update the VCR region; (e) continuing to move the tape past the VCR region to the blank region; and then (f) reversing the motion of the tape to rewind the tape into the cartridge before reaching the data storage region, such that any thrown wraps of the tape in the cartridge are located in the blank region.