Patent ID: 7760608

Claim:
A recording/reproducing apparatus, comprising: an access circuit adapted to record/reproduce information data on/from a recording medium; an initialization circuit adapted to initialize said recording medium in one of a first initialization mode in which information data recorded in recording areas of said recording medium is erased and a second initialization mode in which management data for managing the information data recorded on said recording medium is erased from certain areas of said recording medium and erasing is not performed on recording areas other than the certain areas; an instruction input circuit adapted to receive a power-off instruction of said apparatus; and a controller adapted to control said initialization circuit, wherein said controller determines whether said initialization circuit is initializing said recording medium in said first initialization mode or in said second initialization mode, and if said controller receives the power-off instruction during said initialization by said initialization circuit, then in accordance with said initialization being determined to be in said first initialization mode or in said second initialization mode, said controller controls whether said initialization by said initialization circuit is to be stopped or continued, respectively.