Xenix 2.3.4 multiple volume tar commands
Geoff Burch
Hello again...
I was hoping that someone might be able to confirm that A) either I am
crazy, or B) This version of Xenix is crazy. In the great drama that
my client is experiencing concerning not having any backups or viable
backup media/devices, we are forced to backup a 300MB database onto
floppy disks now. According to the xenix manual, if one is to backup
a file onto multiple volumes, one is supposed to use this command:
tar cvfk /dev/fd1135ds18 1200 database
where 1200 is the K amount you want the tar command to stop at and
begin on new media. We are using 1200 K to make sure that nothing
gets copied to any bad blocks on a floppy. However, upon issuing this
command on a test file, we get the error message:
volume ends at 1199k, blocking factor 1k
tar: could not stat database
Is the manual on crack? Am I crazy? We tried a whole bunch of
different permutations of this command, relative paths, distinguished
paths, A switches, etc... nothing seemed to get the desired result.
Does anyone happen to know a way around this? I would greatly
appreciate knowing it if someone does...
Many thanks in advance.
________________________________
Geoff Burch
Technology Management Consulting
ge...@columbus.rr.com
ge...@tmconsult.com
Fred Smith
Geoff Burch (ge...@columbus.rr.com) wrote:
: Hello again...
: I was hoping that someone might be able to confirm that A) either I am
: crazy, or B) This version of Xenix is crazy. In the great drama that
: my client is experiencing concerning not having any backups or viable
: backup media/devices, we are forced to backup a 300MB database onto
: floppy disks now. According to the xenix manual, if one is to backup
: a file onto multiple volumes, one is supposed to use this command:
: tar cvfk /dev/fd1135ds18 1200 database
From memory (I'm not where I can check a Xenix manual, at the moment)
I think you need to add the 'b' option:
tar cvfkb /dev/fd1135ds18 1200 database
which, my memory is working, tells it to do a multi-volume archive.
Fred
--
---- Fred Smith -- fre...@fcshome.stoneham.ma.us -----------------------------
I can do all things through Christ
who strengthens me.
------------------------------ Philippians 4:13 -------------------------------
Brian Evans
Xenix should have installed a shell that can be invoked
with 'sysadmsh' that is really a bunch of scripts. You
can see what commands it uses to do different tasks.
From the menu select [Media] [Archive] you will
then be at a nice screen were you can select
various options. Once you get it to start write
down the command it uses if you don't want to
use the sysadmsh all the time. Here
it shows (for a 1.2mb disk in drive zero (a))
tar cvfbke /dev/rfd096ds15 10 1200 database
The shell will format disks as it goes
if you want so it's probably better to use
it if you are sitting there anyway.
Brian Evans
Geoff Burch wrote:
>
> Hello again...
>
> I was hoping that someone might be able to confirm that A) either I am
> crazy, or B) This version of Xenix is crazy. In the great drama that
> my client is experiencing concerning not having any backups or viable
> backup media/devices, we are forced to backup a 300MB database onto
> floppy disks now. According to the xenix manual, if one is to backup
> a file onto multiple volumes, one is supposed to use this command:
>
> tar cvfk /dev/fd1135ds18 1200 database
>
Bill Vermillion
In article <Et4K0...@fcshome.stoneham.ma.us>,
Fred Smith <fre...@fcshome.stoneham.ma.us> wrote:
>Geoff Burch (ge...@columbus.rr.com) wrote:
>: Hello again...
>
>: I was hoping that someone might be able to confirm that A) either I am
>: crazy, or B) This version of Xenix is crazy. In the great drama that
>: my client is experiencing concerning not having any backups or viable
>: backup media/devices, we are forced to backup a 300MB database onto
>: floppy disks now. According to the xenix manual, if one is to backup
>: a file onto multiple volumes, one is supposed to use this command:
>
>: tar cvfk /dev/fd1135ds18 1200 database
>
>I think you need to add the 'b' option:
>
> tar cvfkb /dev/fd1135ds18 1200 database
The options to tar follow in order. The fkb want f - a device
name, k - volume size and the b - blocks.
In the above you need a block size after the volume size - and 18 is
typically used. If you use the raw device, /dev/rfd1135ds18 you
should see a speed increase.
SCO's Xenix and Unix have always permitted volume spanning as I
recall, thought I've worked with other OSes that did not.
Jeff Liebermann
>In the great drama that
>my client is experiencing concerning not having any backups or viable
>backup media/devices, we are forced to backup a 300MB database onto
>floppy disks now.
The others answered the questions of dealing with the tar
command. I'll question your question and suggest that you're
doing this all wrong. A 300MB database is going to take about
260 floppy disks. One mistake, on a single floppy, and the whole
backup is hosed. This is a truely dumb way of doing a backup
(and possibly a restore).
Since this sounds like a one time exercise, you should beg, buy,
borrow or steal a QIC-150 tape drive and DC6150 tapes. I suggest
the Archive 2150L and VP-402 QIC-02 interface card. These are
supported by just about every known operating system including
all version of Xenix 386. No SCSI is required. If you have to
buy one, I get my used tape stuff from:
http://www.supertechnologies.com
Also, be advised that there's a bug in the Xenix 2.3.1 cpio
command for multiple volumes. (Xenix 2.3.2, 2.3.3 and 2.3.4 work
just fine). See:
http://www.sco.com/cgi-bin/ssl_reference?106159
Strangely, the bug returned in Unix 3.2.2. It's really incidious
because it only shows up on restore. Your 2.3.4 should be just
fine.
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--
Jeff Liebermann 150 Felker St #D Santa Cruz CA 95060
(408)699-0483 pgr (408)426-1240 fax (408)336-2558 home
http://www.cruzio.com/~jeffl WB6SSY
je...@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us je...@cruzio.com
BARRY O. ANDALMAN
command:
$ tar cvf /dev/fd1135ds18 /usr/xxx/database
Forget about all of this blocking factor and media size parameters. XENIX
knows how big a floppy is in blocks (the 'k' parameter) and the default
block size of, I think 10, is fine (the 'b' parameter). The "cannot stat"
message indicates XENIX cannot find the file. Try an absolute pathname,
e.g., /usr/db/databasename.
Geoff Burch wrote:
> Hello again...
>
> I was hoping that someone might be able to confirm that A) either I am
> crazy, or B) This version of Xenix is crazy. In the great drama that
> my client is experiencing concerning not having any backups or viable
> backup media/devices, we are forced to backup a 300MB database onto
> floppy disks now. According to the xenix manual, if one is to backup
> a file onto multiple volumes, one is supposed to use this command:
>
> tar cvfk /dev/fd1135ds18 1200 database
>
> where 1200 is the K amount you want the tar command to stop at and
> begin on new media. We are using 1200 K to make sure that nothing
> gets copied to any bad blocks on a floppy. However, upon issuing this
> command on a test file, we get the error message:
>
> volume ends at 1199k, blocking factor 1k
> tar: could not stat database
>
> Is the manual on crack? Am I crazy? We tried a whole bunch of
> different permutations of this command, relative paths, distinguished
> paths, A switches, etc... nothing seemed to get the desired result.
> Does anyone happen to know a way around this? I would greatly
> appreciate knowing it if someone does...
>
> Many thanks in advance.
>
> ________________________________
> Geoff Burch
> Technology Management Consulting
> ge...@columbus.rr.com
> ge...@tmconsult.com
--
Barry
__________________________________________
Barry O. Andalman <taft...@accesscom.net>
TAFT PARK DATA CO.
2101 Taft Park
Metairie, LA 70001
TEL:(504)455-0022 FAX:(504)888-9664