Tape recorder and tape recording that increases empty tape area without loss of necessary data

A tape recording method for a tape recorder that has a tape including at least one partition and that controls access to the tape, the method comprising the steps of:

• identifying a position of data on the tape;
• sequentially reading necessary data areas in the data;
• sequentially copying the necessary data areas to a beginning of an empty area on the tape;
• creating a continuous front empty area formed of unnecessary data areas and copy source areas of the necessary data areas on the tape;
• and
• moving a beginning of the partition (BOP) to a position immediately after the front empty area and updating position information on the BOP;
• in the step of identifying a position of the data, positions of the unnecessary data areas and the necessary data areas on the tape are identified according to record numbers corresponding to the data, the record numbers being stored in a controller of the tape recorder;
• and
• the step of copying the necessary data areas includes a step of updating, after the copying operation, a content of a record number correspondence table including positions of the copy sources and copy destinations of the data, and the copying step is repeatedly performed for the necessary data areas which exist between the beginning of the partition before being updated and an optional one of the necessary data areas.