[comp.unix.xenix] tape drive formats

paul@csnz.co.nz (Paul Gillingwater) (09/18/89)

Hi,
	We just installed a 150 Mb Mountain tape drive as an upgrade to a
60 Mb tape drive into a customer site running SCO Xenix.  Then we found out 
that they regularly exchange tapes with other sites who still have 60 Mb
drives -- only now they can't.  Obviously one cannot read an XTD cartridge
in a low density drive, so we tried a standard DC600A.  The FM says that 
ordinary DC600's can be used, but they're formatted in double density,
to achieve 120 Mb capacity.  Does anyone know a way of forcing tar or
the drive itself to use only 60 Mb, so that it can be read by an
ordinary 60 Mb drive?

echo "thanks" >/dev/advance


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bote@csense.UUCP (John Boteler) (09/21/89)

From article <114@csnz.co.nz>, by paul@csnz.co.nz (Paul Gillingwater):
> Hi,
> in a low density drive, so we tried a standard DC600A.  The FM says that 
> ordinary DC600's can be used, but they're formatted in double density,
> to achieve 120 Mb capacity.  Does anyone know a way of forcing tar or

While your brains are on the subject, just what is the difference
between the 600, 600XL and 600A tapes? 

I understand that they each provide a different capacity, but since
the SCO system I have seen operate on them does not format them,
what is the determining factor? Is there a rule of thumb (you
know, like a standard :)

-- 
Bote
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fyl@ssc.UUCP (Phil Hughes) (09/24/89)

In article <367@csense.UUCP>, bote@csense.UUCP (John Boteler) writes:

> While your brains are on the subject, just what is the difference
> between the 600, 600XL and 600A tapes? 

The following is from a news file we keep on our system.
It isn't all the answers but it is a start.



QIC (Quarter Inch Cartridge) "buzz-numbers"
   Yes, there are more but this is what I know today.

QIC-02	The interface from the drive to a controller. This is the
	usual one for most AT buss controllers.  This has nothing
	to do with the format of the tape.
QIC-11	20MB, 4-track tape format.  Old, not really the thing these days
QIC-24	60MB, 9-track tape format.  Probably the most popular today.
QIC-40  40MB
QIC-80  80MB
QIC-120 125MB, 12-track tape format.  Never was in.
QIC-150 150MB, 18-track tape format.  This is what will be in next year.
QIC-320 320MB
QIC-??? 1G-byte, 30 tracks at 51,667 bpi (still under devel 5-89)

Tape drives:

Archive is the most popular manufacturer.  Their Viper series
is "in".  2150S is a QIC-150 drive with SCSI buss interface


The Tapes that these animals use:
	
DC-300	    Used for QIC-24
DC-600A	    Used for QIC-120
DC-600XTD   Used for QIC-150
DC-615	    New name for DC-600XTD

-- 
Phil Hughes, SSC, Inc. P.O. Box 55549, Seattle, WA 98155  (206)FOR-UNIX
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