Information storage medium which stores defect management information, method of replacing defect management information, and apparatus which replaces defect management information

摘要

A plurality of defect management areas (DMA set groups 1 to N) are used in a ring form in such a manner that defect management information of the DMA replaces and is recorded in the next spare area while the DMA is supposed to be still sufficiently rewritable (e.g., currently used DMA sets # 1 - 1 to # 4 - 1 are replaced with the next DMA sets # 1 - 2 to # 4 - 2 ), and a process returns to a first defect management area again at a time when transition of the defect management information ends up to a last spare area (DMA sets # 1 -N to # 4 -N).