panisset@thunder.mcrcim.mcgill.edu (Jean-Francois Panisset ) (06/26/91)
I have some tapes which were written to by a QIC-24 tape drive. Now, these
tapes are "high-density" (12500 ftpi), and I would now like to re-use them
in a QIC-150 drive. Unfortunately, the drive detects that these tapes were
written to at low density, and thus refuses to write to them. So my question
is: what is the best way to force a QIC-150 drive to write to such a tape,
or do I have no choice but to use a powerful magnet? For reference, I
am using a Personnal Iris under IRIX 3.3.2.
Thanks in advance,
JF Panisset
--
Jean-Francois Panisset
INET: panisset@mcrcim.mcgill.ca
panisset@larry.mcrcim.mcgill.edu
UUCP: ...!mcgill-vision!panisset jim@remtech.com (Jim Levie) (06/27/91)
panisset@thunder.mcrcim.mcgill.edu (Jean-Francois Panisset ) writes: >I have some tapes which were written to by a QIC-24 tape drive. Now, these >tapes are "high-density" (12500 ftpi), and I would now like to re-use them >in a QIC-150 drive. Unfortunately, the drive detects that these tapes were >written to at low density, and thus refuses to write to them. So my question >is: what is the best way to force a QIC-150 drive to write to such a tape, >or do I have no choice but to use a powerful magnet? For reference, I >am using a Personnal Iris under IRIX 3.3.2. >Thanks in advance, >JF Panisset >-- >Jean-Francois Panisset >INET: panisset@mcrcim.mcgill.ca > panisset@larry.mcrcim.mcgill.edu >UUCP: ...!mcgill-vision!panisset Uhh, I don't think this is at all possible, the Q150 drives that I have cannot write to Q24 tapes at all. The docs that I have indicate that the drive senses the type of cartridge from "physical information recorded on the tape", I suppose they meant the pattern and/or placement of the holes in the tape. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable could provide more details. -- =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Jim Levie email: jim@chimera.hsv.remtech.com REMTECH Inc Huntsville, Al (or) ...uunet!remtech!chimera!jim The opinions expressed above are just that Ph. (205) 536-8581
olson@anchor.esd.sgi.com (Dave Olson) (06/27/91)
In <1991Jun26.124823.11846@thunder.mcrcim.mcgill.edu> panisset@thunder.mcrcim.mcgill.edu (Jean-Francois Panisset ) writes: | I have some tapes which were written to by a QIC-24 tape drive. Now, these | tapes are "high-density" (12500 ftpi), and I would now like to re-use them | in a QIC-150 drive. Unfortunately, the drive detects that these tapes were | written to at low density, and thus refuses to write to them. So my question | is: what is the best way to force a QIC-150 drive to write to such a tape, | or do I have no choice but to use a powerful magnet? For reference, I | am using a Personnal Iris under IRIX 3.3.2. This is due to a bug in the tape drive firmware. The problem is that the firmware detects the qic24 format, and confuses it with a qic24 cartridge. Newer firmware fixes the problem. The newer firmware should start shipping shortly, but there is no plan to do field upgrades, since the drive needs to be almost completely taken apart to get to the PROM. There are no other problems that affect SGI systems that are fixed by the newer PROMs. The workaround is pretty straightforward. The problem ONLY occurs when you insert a qic120 or qic150 cartridge, written in qic24 format, and then try to read it before writing it. The solution is to simply insert the cartridge, and then start writing it, without trying to read it first.