A recording/playback recording medium comprising an elongated, flexible recording/playback medium having a predetermined width and a predetermined length, together defining a recording/playback area capable of providing a plurality of elongated recording/playback tracks; and information located on at least two tracks, a first track being recorded from the beginning of the first track in a first direction until the track is filled, a second track being recorded in a second opposite direction, the tracks being partitioned to define sectors having identifiable locations, the first, second, and subsequent tracks if necessary being recorded in a serpentine manner, the information recorded on the tracks being recorded by a helical scan.