1. A method for data error recovery in a tape storage system, by a processor device, comprising: in a tape storage system, modifying erasure control configuration settings upon rereading a buffered dataset having passed through at least one microcode-initiated iterative decode cycle; initiating m hardware-initiated iterative decode cycles and n microcode-initiated iterative decode cycles on the buffered dataset while tape is at speed; wherein m+n comprises a number of iterative decode cycles able to complete without stopping the tape due to buffering; and initiating x microcode-initiated iterative decode cycles on the buffered dataset while the tape is stopped; wherein x comprises at least one of a plurality of the microcode-initiated iterative decode cycles.