Method of reproducing magnetic recording data and a magnetic storage system using switching between plural heads provided to a track

A magnetic storage system including a data conversion unit for performing recording or reproduction with respect to a plurality of recording tracks provided on a magnetic tape medium using electromagnetic conversion means, and a system control unit for controlling said data conversion unit on a basis of a command issued from a host unit to record data from said host unit on said magnetic tape medium and to send data read out from said magnetic tape medium to said host unit,

• said data conversion unit comprising:
• a medium driving means for driving said magnetic tape medium;
• a plurality of reproducing electromagnetic transducers for reproducing data from said plurality of recording tracks provided on said magnetic tape medium;
• a plurality of reproducing heads having said plurality of reproducing electromagnetic transducers arranged so as not to overlap with one another in a travel direction of each of said plurality of recording tracks;
• a head switching means for switching from a first reproducing head to a second reproducing head included in said plurality of reproducing heads;
• and
• a data conversion control means for controlling said head switching means and said medium driving means,
• said system control unit comprising:
• an error detecting means for detecting an error of data reproduced by said data conversion unit;
• and
• a data control means, connected to said host unit, said data conversion control means and said error detecting means, for controlling transfer of data between said host unit and said data conversion unit,
• wherein on a basis of a report of an error occurrence in regenerative data as indicated by said error detecting means to said data control means, said data control means instructs said data conversion control means using a switching command to switch reproduction from said first reproducing head to said second reproducing head and retry reproduction for a same portion of a same recording track on said magnetic tape medium using said second reproducing head, and
• wherein said data conversion unit then performs reproduction of data using said second reproducing head to which said magnetic storage system is switched by said switching command issued from said data control means.