In a data recording and reproducing apparatus which records and reproduces a record medium in which at least two kinds of data having different data types can be recorded, data are read out from the record medium, and a digital watermark is detected from the data read out. The kind of data is determined depending upon whether the digital watermark is detected, and it is determined whether retry processing at the time of reading-out the data and verifying processing at the time of writing should be executed. The retry processing or the verifying processing are executed only for the data which is determined that the retry processing or the verifying processing should be executed. Therefore, in the case of data whose reading-out continuity is more important than reliability, the retry processing is omitted, so that time required for reading-out processing can be shortened. In the case of data whose recording continuity is more important than reliability, the verifying processing is omitted, so that time required for writing processing can be shortened.