Data recording/reproducing apparatus having recording head position detection and control

A data recording/reproducing apparatus, comprising

• at least one recording medium having on one side a serve surface including tracks for pre-storing servo data, and on the other side a data surface including tracks for reading//writing data;
• a first magnetic head for reading out the servo data from the servo surface of the recording medium;
• a second magnetic head for reading/writing data on the tracks of the data surface;
• means for moving the first and second magnetic heads relative to the recording medium, the second magnetic head being movable in conjunction with the first magnetic head;
• head positioning means for enabling the moving means to position the first magnetic head to a destination track on the servo surface, and to position the second magnetic head to a destination track on the data surface on the basis of the servo data read out from the servo surface by the first magnetic head;
• means for detecting an off-track distance L of the second magnetic head with respect to the destination track on the data surface, when the head positioning means has positioned the first magnetic head on the destination track of the servo surface;
• means for comparing the off-track distance L detected by the off-track distance detecting means with a first predetermined value Lw when in a data write mode and a second predetermined value Lc when in a data read mode;
• and
• control means for enabling the second magnetic head to perform a data write operation on the data surface unless the detected off-track distance L is greater than the first predetermined value Lw, and enabling the second magnetic head to perform a data read operation on the data surface unless the detected off-track distance L is greater than the second predetermined value Lc.