Patent ID: 7793159

Claim:
A method of detecting corruption in a data block stored by a tape recording apparatus, the tape recording apparatus having a write head and a read head, the method comprising: a) writing to a tape via the write head, wherein for the writing the tape moves past the write head in a predetermined direction, wherein the tape recording apparatus is linked with a computer system executing an application and a device driver, the tape recording apparatus being accessible by the application through the device driver via first and second tasks, and wherein the writing includes writing a first data block responsive to transmitting the first data block from the computer system; b) reading the written data block from the tape via the read head, wherein for the reading the tape moves past the read head in the same, predetermined direction, and wherein the reading of the first data block occurs without reversing the tape movement after the writing of the first data block; and c) comparing at least portions of the transmitted and read data blocks by the tape recording apparatus; and d) sending an Input/Output message or interrupt signal to the second task from the tape recording apparatus responsive to a noncorruption indication determined by the comparing, wherein transmitting the first data block from the computer system includes transmitting by the first task; and wherein the method comprises: e) storing in a memory buffer of the tape recording apparatus the data block read from the tape in b); and f) reading, via the second task, the data block stored in the memory buffer; g) comparing, via the second task, at least portions of the transmitted data block and the data block read from the memory buffer, wherein the reading of the data block stored in the memory buffer includes reading after the Input/Output message or interrupt signal is received by the second task from the tape recording apparatus.