There is disclosed a semiconductor test apparatus enabling writing into an information write space of a block including a failure cell into which block writing is inhibited partially or entirely by the bad block mask function and the fail loop back function. The method may be implemented in a printing device which is capable of programming an identifier and reading data from the identifier and comparing such information to evaluate the programming operation. The display is typically part of an electronic apparatus, such as a laptop computer, portable DVD player, gaming machine and the like.