Adjusting a skew angle and lateral position of a tape head to reduce track placement errors

Abstract

Provided are a tape head controller, tape drive, and method for adjusting a skew angle and lateral position of a tape head to reduce track placement errors. A tape head is rotated at a nominal skew with respect to a tape medium to position servo readers in servo patterns. Data writers are located in a first plane of the tape head and the servo readers are located in a second plane in the tape head. The first and the second planes are separated by a distance. Repeatedly determining a skew angle comprising the nominal skew adjusted by a delta angle, at which to rotate the tape head to position the servo readers in the servo patterns. Repeatedly determining a lateral position error based on the distance and the delta angle. Repeatedly adjusting a lateral position of the tape head using the lateral position error to position the data writers in target data track locations at which to write data.