[comp.unix.i386] write error on 2nd tape - using Archive VP60e

paine@fungus.dec.com (Willy Paine) (12/23/89)

I have Interactive 386/ix v2.0.2 and Archive VP 60e tape drive using
D600 cartridge (60meg).  I have no problem installing and running tape
only in first time.  After at the end of tape, the message displays to
insert another volume of tape and press y to continue.  It is always
stopped with write errors.  This is same for tar, cpio, afio and even
commercial ctar.  I believe that there is something I have to modify
default setting under /etc.

I have NO problem with Xenix and SCO Unix 3.2 using same tape drives and
I can use five tapes in single full backup but I can not do more than
one tape in one backup.

Can you please help me with setting up Archive tape so I can do more
than one tape in single backup?

Thank you for your time...

willy

................................................................
.   Willy Paine                      BBS/FAX +1-206-822-4615   .
.   willyp@seaeast.WA.COM            FidoNet 1:343/15          .
.   uunet!nwnexus!seaeast!willyp     fungus.enet.dec.com!paine . 
................................................................
.   It takes less time to do a thing right than to explain     .
.   why you did it wrong  - Longfellow.                        .
................................................................

tim@comcon.UUCP (Tim Brown) (12/24/89)

In article <8912230518.AA05930@decwrl.dec.com>, paine@fungus.dec.com (Willy Paine) writes:
> 
> I have Interactive 386/ix v2.0.2 and Archive VP 60e tape drive using
> D600 cartridge (60meg).  I have no problem installing and running tape
> only in first time.  After at the end of tape, the message displays to
> insert another volume of tape and press y to continue.  It is always

> I can use five tapes in single full backup but I can not do more than
> one tape in one backup.
> 
> Can you please help me with setting up Archive tape so I can do more
> than one tape in single backup?

cpio should work with tapes just like it does with disks, try this:

find whateverdir -print|cpio -o -O /dev/rmt0 [or whatever device]

The -O tells cpio to simply request the next volume.  I don't know if it
works with tapes.  Nothing in the manual to indicate that it won't.


Tim Brown                           |
Computer Connection                 |
(attmail or uunet)!comcon!tim       |

karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Karl Denninger) (12/25/89)

In article <8912230518.AA05930@decwrl.dec.com> paine@fungus.dec.com (Willy Paine) writes:
>
>I have Interactive 386/ix v2.0.2 and Archive VP 60e tape drive using
>D600 cartridge (60meg).  I have no problem installing and running tape
>only in first time.  After at the end of tape, the message displays to
>insert another volume of tape and press y to continue.  It is always
>stopped with write errors.  This is same for tar, cpio, afio and even
>commercial ctar.  I believe that there is something I have to modify
>default setting under /etc.
>
>I have NO problem with Xenix and SCO Unix 3.2 using same tape drives and
>I can use five tapes in single full backup but I can not do more than
>one tape in one backup.
>
>Can you please help me with setting up Archive tape so I can do more
>than one tape in single backup?

This sounds like a problem with the driver that Archive supplies.

Have you contacted them?  ISC doesn't support the Archive drive directly...I
presume (possibly in error) that you are using their driver.  What is the
date of the driver?

--
Karl Denninger (karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM, <well-connected>!ddsw1!karl)
Public Access Data Line: [+1 708 566-8911], Voice: [+1 708 566-8910]
Macro Computer Solutions, Inc.		"Quality Solutions at a Fair Price"

paine@fungus.dec.com (Willy Paine) (12/26/89)

In article <1989Dec25.052859.371@ddsw1.MCS.COM> you write:
>In article <8912230518.AA05930@decwrl.dec.com> paine@fungus.dec.com (Willy Paine) writes:
>>
>
>This sounds like a problem with the driver that Archive supplies.
>
>Have you contacted them?  ISC doesn't support the Archive drive directly...I
>presume (possibly in error) that you are using their driver.  What is the
>date of the driver?
>

I am having FAX dataswitch problem and I think dataswitch is already
obsolete!  Archive told my friends over the phone that there is regular
ISC setup on changing default and right now the driver is still the same
but I am waiting for instructions on modifying on configuration or
default setting.  ISC comes with Wekteg tape driver that have 125 MegB
read and read.  I am told that ISC can read QIC 24 on 60meg but write
only 125 Meg.

Everyone - please post if you got any informaiton from Archive setting.
Archive is really popular tape driver for either Unix and MS-DOS and
this works excellent for Xenix and SCO Unix.

willy


- -- 
................................................................
.   Willy Paine                      BBS/FAX +1-206-822-4615   .
.   willyp@seaeast.WA.COM            FidoNet 1:343/15          .
.   uunet!nwnexus!seaeast!willyp     fungus.enet.dec.com!paine . 
................................................................
.   It takes less time to do a thing right than to explain     .
.   why you did it wrong  - Longfellow.                        .
................................................................

jr@oglvee.UUCP (Jim Rosenberg) (12/27/89)

In article <8912230518.AA05930@decwrl.dec.com> paine@fungus.dec.com (Willy Paine) writes:
>
>I have Interactive 386/ix v2.0.2 and Archive VP 60e tape drive using
>D600 cartridge (60meg).  I have no problem installing and running tape
>only in first time.  After at the end of tape, the message displays to
>insert another volume of tape and press y to continue.  It is always
>stopped with write errors.  This is same for tar, cpio, afio and even
>commercial ctar.  I believe that there is something I have to modify
>default setting under /etc.

This sounds similar to what happened to us when we upgraded an Altos 2000
to a 150M tape.  Does your tar have an option to let you specify how long
the tape is?  If so, try giving a length that is just short of the true
length of the tape, so that tar will ask to change reels before getting
an I/O error from the end of the tape.

With our tape -- which is supposedly the same as the Archive Viper -- I
have learned to be happy with it by slavishly performing a ritual on
each tape before use:  I run a script which retensions the tape, writes
a tiny cpio archive to it, then does a cpio -itv back to test it.  When
I do this I have no problem.  When I didn't I went nuts.  I shouldn't
*have* to do all this all the time, but at least I've got backups down to
a routine.  Before the retension/cpio ritual and specific volume size I
would get an I/O error on just about every reel change.
-- 
Jim Rosenberg                        pitt
Oglevee Computer Systems                 >--!amanue!oglvee!jr
151 Oglevee Lane                      cgh
Connellsville, PA 15425                                #include <disclaimer.h>