tape drives, tape lengths
Thomas VanDenBelt
We have been having some trouble with a quater inch tape drive (QIC)
which was giving the following errors:
i) with tar
% tar -tvf /dev/rmt/0m
Tar: tape read error
ii) with an tape tool (called WSTAPE)
error on ioctl_op for filemark rc: (13) - permission denied
(oh, this was on a 700 series workstation running HP-ux 9.0)
Through various trial and errors, it seems that these errors only come
when 60M tapes are used, but works fine with 150M tapes.
Has any of you had any experiences with differences in tape lengths.
Isn't tape just a dumb piece of magnetic media?
Any help / comments would be appreciated.
Cheers
Tom.
Tom Vandenbelt ,-_|\ E-mail (Internet): tva...@bnr.ca
Product Support Specialist / \ E-mail (Corwan): tvanden@nmelh0
NorTel Australia Pty Limited \_,-._/ ESN: 640 4613
Level 5, 380 St. Kilda Road v TEL(work): (613) 206 4613
Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia FAX: (613) 206 4644
Gary Sanders
Thomas VanDenBelt <tva...@nmelh10.bnr.ca> wrote:
>Hi All,
>
>We have been having some trouble with a quater inch tape drive (QIC)
>which was giving the following errors:
>
>i) with tar
>
> % tar -tvf /dev/rmt/0m
> Tar: tape read error
>
>ii) with an tape tool (called WSTAPE)
>
> error on ioctl_op for filemark rc: (13) - permission denied
>
>(oh, this was on a 700 series workstation running HP-ux 9.0)
>
>Through various trial and errors, it seems that these errors only come
>when 60M tapes are used, but works fine with 150M tapes.
I don't know if this is your problem or not, but let me explain what I
found out and maybe it will help.
There are a few QIC formats (E.g. QIC-40 and QIC-80)
A tape with QIC-80 will hold twice that of a QIC-40 tape.
A QIC-80 tape drive can usually read a QIC-40 tape, but not the reverse.
Sooo if you bought preformated a DC2120 (which is a 150m tape i think) it
will have the QIC-80 format. There are 150m QIC-40 tapes available, but
most places don't stock them. If the 60m is a DC2000 which is a QIC-40
format (and there is also a QIC-80 of this) that might explain the problem.
In either case, reformatting the tape that gives you the problems should
resolve the problem. I.e. I have a Jumbo 120 which uses the QIC-40, but I
have to buy DC2120 when I want the longer tape. I just have to reformat
the DC2120 for the QIC-40 format.
Hope that helps in some way.
Cheers,
Gary
Ivo Mokros
>In article <1994Sep1.0...@bnr.ca>,
>Thomas VanDenBelt <tva...@nmelh10.bnr.ca> wrote:
>>Hi All,
>>
>>We have been having some trouble with a quater inch tape drive (QIC)
>>which was giving the following errors:
>>
>>i) with tar
>>
>> % tar -tvf /dev/rmt/0m
>> Tar: tape read error
>>
>>ii) with an tape tool (called WSTAPE)
>>
>> error on ioctl_op for filemark rc: (13) - permission denied
>>
>>(oh, this was on a 700 series workstation running HP-ux 9.0)
>>
>>Through various trial and errors, it seems that these errors only come
>>when 60M tapes are used, but works fine with 150M tapes.
>
>
>>
>>Has any of you had any experiences with differences in tape lengths.
>>Isn't tape just a dumb piece of magnetic media?
>>
>>Any help / comments would be appreciated.
Since you mentioned WSTAPE, I assume you are trying to write DMS tapes, which
are a different cartridge size than the QIC_40/80 tapes mentioned above. The 60M
tape is a QIC-24 format tape (also called SLM-1 on DMS) and the 150M tapes are
QIC-150 format (SLM-2 on DMS). These formats write in different densities, and are
not compatible. In theory, you should be able to read a QIC-24 tape with a QIC-150
tape drive, but we have found that to be problematic. If you have a need for
QIC-24 (ie a DC600A tape cartridge) get yourself a QIC-24 tape drive (about $700US
from Digidyne). If not, use only DC150 or DC250 tape cartridges. Using a DC600A
tape in a QIC-150 drive is like using low density floppies in a high density drive
(ie It won't work).
Hope this helps.
Ivo Mokros
Michael Lampi
>i) with tar
>Cheers
>Tom.
You don't mention which kind of QIC tape drive you are using, but it would
appear that you need 150MB tapes, which have a different coercivity than 60MB
tapes. The two are not necessarily write compatible, but should be read
compatible among the different densities and QIC drives.
Michael Lampi la...@mdlcorp.com
MDL Corporation (206) 861-6700
15301 NE 90th Street (206) 861-6767 FAX
Redmond, WA 98052 (800) 800-3766