Ques: Linux RH 7 & SCSI Tape

[stan]

tape drives are treated as a serial device instead of random access and
thus one does not mount a tape. Instead, explicit commands to read the
tape must be used. Look up the man pages for the following:

dd
od
tar
cpio

dd allows a raw write of data to a drive.
od allows a quick hex/octal/ascii dump of what is on a tape.
tar and cpio are a way to archive multiple files into a single file or
can be directed to a tape drive.

For example, to archive all the files in user's (sam for example) one
could do the following:

cd /home
find sam -print | cpio -ocv > /dev/tape_drive_name

where tape_drive_name is the character device for you tape, /dev/st0 for
example. The above will find all files in /home/sam, archive them using
cpio's archive format and write the archive to tape.

another example using dd would be:

dd if=/etc/passwd of=/dev/tape_drive_name

the above will write the passwd file out to tape but note that dd only
writes a single file.

Other good commands to investigate that might be useful are:

mt
st

Also, you might wish to look in /usr/doc/HOWTO.

Stan Mlynarczyk

"Colonel Samual Flagg, US Army Intelligence (ret)" wrote:
>
> I am complete newbie to Linux and Tape drives.
>
> Running RH 7.0, External SCSI, Quantum DLT4000 20Gig Tape Drive. Have
> no idea about the ins-and-outs of mounting and/or using a tape drive.
>
> Looking for a few pointers. Information obtained at RH sites is
> sparce, info from Quantum site pertaining to Linux is even less so.
> Nothing in the documentation for the drive pertaining to Linux.
>
> Yes, the tape works with Linux, have seen it in operation, trying to
> obtain the info on my own (I guess to keep from looking like a
> complete moron ;p)
>
> I need to:
>
> verify the tape is working (mount?)
>
> be able to address the drive for backups (amanda, which I am fairly
> confident I can work, if I can get to the tape :)
>
> all the basics for tape drives.
>
> --
> Colonel Flagg
> http://www.geocities.com/pentagon/1475/
>
> "Big Brother is watching you, Little Brother is too.
> When Big Brother goes to sleep, Little Brother goes
> through his stuff." - Unknown Author
>
> "...Pepper spray works nicely, unless your assailant uses it as a
> condiment." - CF, 2001
>
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