Media preservation for information transducing drive

Abstract

An information transducing drive performs information transducing operations with respect to transducable media. In an example embodiment the drive comprises an information transducer (30); a cartridge handler (32); a media transport system (35); and a controller (36). The transducer (30) is configured to perform the information transducing operations with respect to the media (24). The cartridge handler (32) opens a lid (28) of the cartridge (26) and selectively extracts the media at least partially from the cartridge and selectively retracts the media into the cartridge. The media transport system (35) transports the media extracted from the cartridge in a transport path whereby the transducer can perform the information transducing operations with respect to the media. The controller (36) executes a media preservation mode by directing return of the media to the cartridge whereby substantially all user data eligible segments of the media are unexposed while the drive appears on-line with respect to further transducing operations.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.