Data are simultaneously written to plural tracks of a magnetic tape storage device while preventing elongated tape scratches from corrupting data blocks. A byte stream of user data is arranged into plural codewords that are distributed amongst plural heads that write the codewords to the plural tracks. When the data are read from the plural tracks, data are verified as being written to the tape successfully. If not, codewords are distributed amongst the plural read/write heads in a different order and re-written data to the tape.