a disc - shaped information carrier has a track thereon which follows a helical or concentric path forming successive windings . for identifying each winding the information carrier also has a servo pattern thereon which includes position - information as well as synchronization elements . such elements may be , for example , brief pulses in a continuous track wobble , and are distinguishable in adjacent windings based on a predetermined detectable parameter , such as alternating polarity or shifted relative phase positions . during recording by a read / write head a system control detects the synchronization elements and monitors whether a deviation has occurred signifying that the read / write head has wandered to an adjacent winding . in that event recording is interrupted . thus , the least possible information in adjacent windings is overwritten in the case of disturbances resulting from shocks or defects of the information carrier . a read device is also described which interrupts reading if the winding identification provided by the synchronization elements signifies erroneous operation .