dusan@batserver.cs.uq.oz.au (01/25/91)
Some time ago I posted a message about the problems to put the index (table of contents) at the beginning of the tape. I have encountered many problems with SunOS 4.1. Actually I have an Exabyte drive EXB-8200 connected to a SparcStation 1+. Well, I did not know that it was so complicated but I have the solution which works for me and the only thing that makes me worried is: I do not know the full explanation. Anyway, I would like to explain what I have been doing for some time now. Basically, here is what I am doing: 1. mt -f /dev/nrst1 rewind 2. dd if=/dev/rsd0d of=/dev/nrst1 conv=block,sync bs=56k count=1600 (this initializes a big file at the beginning of a tape) 3. mt -f /dev/nrst1 weof 2 (idea given by Chris Elvin) 3. dump (as many as I need file systems) 4. mt -f /dev/nrst1 rew 5. mt -f /dev/nrst1 fsf 3 6. restore -vft /dev/nrst1 >$File (done with a loop - to check all file systems...) 7. mt -f /dev/nrst1 rew 8. tar cf /dev/nrst1 $File (put the index on the tape...) Now, I have tested this method using different levels of dumps (0, 5, 7, 3,...) which means that table of contents is different all the time... And when I put them on the beginning of the tape - the method which I have to use to reach the first dump after the index is MT -F /DEV/NRST1 FSF 3 (try this if you do not believe!) It works fine! Again, I have tried it about 30-40 times with different parameters and dump levels and it is OK!!! (although the size of the index at the beginning of the tape is never the same!) I am puzzled and I do not know the explanation why it works like this (I mean it is a bit strange) - BUT IT WORKS FOR ME. Maybe someone has a better solution. I am looking forward to any comments and explanations. I would like to express my gratitude to the following people that have sent very useful comments about Exabyte on the Net (and some of them to me directly). Thanks for their effort and patience. brad@athena.arc.nasa.gov (Margaret Bradshaw) romig@cis.ohio-state.edu (Steve Romig) aronb@gkcl.ists.ca (Aaron Burns) fpb@ittc.wec.com (Frank P. Bresz) C.Elvin@EE.Surrey.Ac.UK (Chris Elvin) ghg@purdue.edu (George Goble) msd@bo.ind.trw.com (Marc S. Dye) tony@rata.vuw.ac.nz (Tony Martindale) mlandau@bbn.com (Matt Landau) felix@warbucks.ai.sri.com (Felix Ingrand) zwicky@erg.sri.com (Elizabeth Zwicky) marty@radarsun.Jpl.Nasa.Gov (Marty Slade) jackal@epps.kodak.com (Philip Hammar) Best wishes to everybody, Dusan U. Baljevic The Department of Computer Science The University of Queensland 4072 - Australia ph. (07) 365 3239 Amateur Radio VK4FCW E-mail: dusan@batserver.cs.uq.oz.au