Apparatus and method for adapting a data recording device to ambient environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity in order to reduce the risk of damage to the storage media

A tape drive for reading information from and/or writing information to a data tape of a tape cartridge, the tape drive comprising:

• a transducer head for processing information with the data tape;
• drive means for moving the data tape of the tape cartridge relative to the transducer head;
• a tape guide located adjacent to the transducer head for guiding the data tape relative to the transducer bead;
• temperature sensing means for detecting changes in an ambient operating temperature, wherein the drive means reduces an acceleration and deceleration of the data tape in response to an increase in the ambient operating temperature;
• and wherein
• acceleration and deceleration of the drive means is inversely proportional to the ambient operating conditions.

A method of altering operation of a head guide assembly, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a device for interacting with a media, the device having a transducer head for processing information with the media, and a detector for detecting ambient operating conditions;
• (b) moving the media relative to the transducer head to process information;
• (c) detecting a change in the ambient operating conditions with the detector;
• and then
• (d) altering movement of the media in response to the change in the ambient operating conditions by inversely acceleration and deceleration of the media to the ambient operating conditions.