Control method of disk drive for recordable optical disk

A method for controlling a disk drive for a recordable optical disk whose information storage area is divided into plurality of bands, each band comprising multiple user sectors for recording user data, multiple alternative sectors for recording said user data when said user sectors are defective, and multiple mapping sectors for recording mapping data, said control method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a command to access a chosen sector of said multiple user sectors,
• determining whether a memory location in a memory of said disk drive has stored therein mapping data read from a mapping sector for the band that includes said chosen sector,
• reading mapping data from the most recently recorded mapping sector for said corresponding band, if said mapping data from said mapping sector has not been previously stored in said memory location, thereby accessing each band's most recently recorded mapping data only as user sectors within said band are chosen,
• storing the mapping data read from said most recently recorded mapping sector within said disk drive at said memory location, and accessing said chosen sector or an alternate sector defined by said mapping data, depending on whether said mapping data identifies said chosen sector as having no defect or a defect, respectively.