blume@netmbx.UUCP (Heiko Blume) (06/10/90)
(Please reply to 'daniel.d@netmbx'.)
In the past there were a few questions and answers concerning tape standards
and tar archives in comp.unix.xenix and comp.periphs (thanks for the
summary, Pat_Barron).
Here are two tables and a short description how to append tar files
under Xenix 386GT.
1/4 " Data Cartridge Standards
==============================
(QIC-11 is not an Industry Standard and there exist some incompatible versions.)
Standard Capacity Tracks Speed Rec-density Flux-Trans Cartridges
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
QIC-11 15/30MB (300ft) 4/9 90ips
20/40MB (450ft) 4/9 90ips 6400ftpi DC300XL
10000ftpi DC300XLP
27/60MB (600ft) 4/9 90ips 10000ftpi DC600A
QIC-24 45MB (450ft/137m) 9 90ips 8000bpi 10000ftpi
55MB (555ft/169m) 9 90ips 8000bpi 10000ftpi
60MB (600ft/183m) 9 90ips 8000bpi 10000ftpi DC600A
QIC-120 125MB (600ft/183m) 15 72ips 10000bpi 12500ftpi DC600A
QIC-150 155MB (600ft/183m) 18 72ips 10000bpi 12500ftpi DC600XTD
DC6150
QIC-320 320MB (600ft/183m) 26 72ips 10000bpi 12500ftpi DC6320
QIC-525 525MB (1000ft/183m) 26 72ips 10000bpi 12500ftpi DC6525
Read/Write Compatibility of the Tape-Formats:
---------------------------------------------
(The left column should be read: "Tape drives designed for the QIC-???
standard *should* be able to read/write the following Tape formats:".)
TAPE-DRIVES | Tape - Formats |
designed for: | QIC-11 | QIC-24 | QIC-120 | QIC-150 | QIC-320 | QIC-525 |
----------------|--------|--------|---------|---------|---------|---------|
QIC-11 | R W | | | | | |
QIC-24 | R W | R W | R | | | |
QIC-120 | R - | R - | R W | R | | |
QIC-150 | R - | R - | R W | R W | | |
QIC-320 | R - | R - | R W | R W | R W | ? ? |
QIC-525 | R | R | R W | R W | R W | R W |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have made some experiences with the SCSI Tape drives TDC-3660 (QIC-150)
and TDC-3820 (QIC-320) of Tandberg Data under the Xenix 386GT OS 2.3.2.
Both drives can read QIC-11,QIC-24,QIC-120,QIC-150, and write QIC-120 and
QIC-150 Tapes.
In write mode the 320MB Streamer automatically switches to QIC-320 if it
'sees' a 320 MB Cartridge (it's recognized by the holes in the tape).
So you don't need another tape driver (the Xenix/Adaptec driver will do).
If you 'mkdev tape', there will be created 2 devices:
/dev/rct0 (linked to /dev/rmt/0b)
/dev/nrct0 (linked to /dev/rmt/0bn)
Both are Raw devices, ncrt0 is a non-rewinding device.
You can append several tar archives if you use the non-rewinding device.
For instance, you are at the beginning of tape and do a
'tar cf /dev/nrct0 ./foo1'
The tape will not rewind after recording and write a filemark at the end.
Then you can do another 'tar cf /dev/nrct0 ./foo2' and a
'tar cf /dev/nrct0 ./foo3'.
You untar the archives by saying 'tape rewind /dev/nrct0' and do three
successive 'tar xf /dev/nrct0'.
If you only want to see the './foo2' archive, you say 'tape rewind /dev/nrct0'
(rewind tape) and 'tape rfm /dev/nrct0' (skip next filemark) and
'tar tvf /dev/nrtc0' (list archive, don't rewind).
If you ever read past the last file mark you'll get an i/o error.
Instead of saying 'tar ??f /dev/nrct0' you can simply edit /etc/default/tar.
Do the same for 'tape ??? /dev/nrct0' in /etc/default/tape.
Hope this helps a few people.
Karl-Peter Huestegge.
--
Karl-Peter Huestegge | Voice: (+49 30) 8518198
Niedstr. 19 | UUCP : daniel.d@netmbx.UUCP
1 Berlin 41 | PSI : PSI%45300043109::netmbx:daniel.dsteve@robobar.co.uk (Steve Bleazard) (06/12/90)
In article <777@netmbx.UUCP> daniel.d@netmbx.UUCP (Karl-Peter Huestegge) writes: > >Here are two tables and a short description how to append tar files >under Xenix 386GT. > The procedure described works fine, however, a word of caution. If any of the archives develop a hard error, _all_ the archives after the one with the error _may_ be unreadable. This has happened to me, using Xenix 386 and a QIC-24 / 11 compatible Archive tape drive. Steve -- Steve.Bleazard@RoboBar.Co.Uk | Phone: +44 81 991 1142 x153 Snr Software Engineer, Robobar Ltd. | Fax: +44 81 998 8343 (G3) 22 Wadsworth Road, Perivale. | Middx., UB6 7JD ENGLAND. | ...!ukc!robobar!steve