Apparatus and method for error recovery.

A tape drive data storage apparatus (10) incorporating the inventive concepts herein includes a control system for reading and writing host data on a streaming tape medium (28), an error correction coding (ECC) system for detecting and correcting data transfer errors, and an error recovery system for performing non-ECC correctable error recovery. The error recovery system is dynamically controlled to perform tactical error recovery in accordance with a novel error recovery method. As the tape drive apparatus performs read and/or write data transfer operations on a tape medium loaded in the tape drive, error recovery options are implemented on the basis of dynamic feedback peculiar to the current block in error. Upon invocation of an error recovery operational mode, the data storage apparatus performs error recovery on the current data block using a predetermined set of error recovery implementation options. As error recovery progresses, the option set is scored based on its effectiveness and the score is dynamically evaluated. Ongoing error recovery is performed on the block using a refine set or subset of error recovery implementation options based on the score of the previously applied options. Additional error recovery options may be inserted as they become appropriate. The process is repeated until successful error recovery is achieved or until available error recovery implementation options are exhausted.