A data processing apparatus is capable of playing back contents stored in a specified area in a recording medium. The recording medium stores content data and management information for managing the content data. When playing back a content which is managed by the management information on the recording medium but of which entity data is not present in the specified area of the recording medium, the data processing apparatus, searches, for the content, the other area of the recording medium with a search section. When the corresponding content is found, the link information selling section sets the link information (symbolic link, shortcut, etc.) on the recording medium so that the content can be accessed with the management information.