The present invention relates to the field of controlling
tape drive magnetic head spacing and the use of hard disk drive heads in a
tape drive. The present invention is related to
magnetic tape data storage and tape recorders that include components designed to minimize or eliminate head-to-tape contact to reduce or eliminate wear and
contamination of the tape and the magnetic heads. Methods and apparatus of the present invention may control the head-to-media spacing by moving locations of magnetic heads relative to a tape. Such apparatus may include components designed to minimize magnetic spacing. This may be accomplished using actuators that move magnetic heads, or that move both magnetic heads and the tape of a
tape drive. This may include supporting a back surface of the tape. The movement of the tape past the magnetic heads may be performed using mechanisms that contact and drive the back surface of the tape.