[comp.unix.aix] "rdump" only writes half as much data as "backup"

shair@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Bob Shair) (06/13/91)

henkel%nepjt@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu (Chuck Henkel) writes:

>Context: Two RS/6000 Model 320s running 3001.
>	 Tape drive configured for 512 byte blocks, no ECC

>I'm trying to use rdump to back up a filesystem on "rs1" to a
>cartridge tape on "rs2":

>rdump -0 -c -f rs2:/dev/rmt0.4 /u

>only writes about 10 meg on the tape, then asks for another. If I use
>a high density tape, (3M 6150, /dev/rmt0), it only puts about 20 meg
>on the tape, then asks for another.

>The "-b" flag (blocksize) has no apparent effect. Backing up
>filesystems on rs2 (the machine with the tape) works fine.

>What's the deal?

The deal is we accidentally omitted the -d (density) and -s (size)
flags from the man pages for rdump when we shipped AIX 3.1;  they're
in updated versions.

For a DC600A 120MB tape (rmt0.4) specify -s 9000 -d 1250
I append the appropriate Flags from 3.1.5 manual.
 

  rdump Command
  
   Syntax
  
  rdump [ -b Number1 ] [ -c] [ -d Number2 ] [ -l Number3 ]
  [-s Number4 ] [ -u] [ -w] [
  -W] [ -Level]  -f Machine:Device  [ FileSystem]
  Flags
  
  -b Number1	Specifies the number of blocks to write in a single
  output operation.  If you do not specify the Number1 parameter,
  the rdump command uses a default value appropriate for the physi-
  cal device selected.  Larger values of the Number1 parameter,
  result in larger physical transfers to tape devices.
  
  -c	Specifies that the tape is cartridge, not nine-track.
  
  -d Number2	Specifies the density of the tape in bits per inch
  (BPI).  This value is used in calculating the amount of tape used
  per volume.  If you do not specify a value for the Number2
  parameter, the rdump command uses a default density of
  1600 BPI.  For a default density of 8000 BPI, specify the -c
  flag.
  
  -l Number3	Uses the Number3 parameter as the limit of the total
  number of blocks to use on the remote backup medium.
  
  -s Number4	Allows you to specify the size of the tape in feet us-
  ing the Number4 parameter.  If you do not specify a tape size,
  rdump defaults to a tape size of 2300 feet.  For a de-
  fault size of 1700 feet, use the -c flag.  When the tape drive
  reaches the specified size, the rdump command waits for the tape
  to be changed.
-- 

Bob Shair                          shair@chgvmic1.vnet.ibm.com
Scientific Computing Specialist    SHAIR@UIUCVMD (bitnet)
IBM Champaign

henkel%nepjt@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu (Chuck Henkel) (06/13/91)

Context: Two RS/6000 Model 320s running 3001.
	 Tape drive configured for 512 byte blocks, no ECC

I'm trying to use rdump to back up a filesystem on "rs1" to a
cartridge tape on "rs2":

rdump -0 -c -f rs2:/dev/rmt0.4 /u

only writes about 10 meg on the tape, then asks for another. If I use
a high density tape, (3M 6150, /dev/rmt0), it only puts about 20 meg
on the tape, then asks for another.

The "-b" flag (blocksize) has no apparent effect. Backing up
filesystems on rs2 (the machine with the tape) works fine.

What's the deal?

And, why doesn't this work:

backup -0 -b 126 -f - /u | rsh rs2 dd of=/dev/rmt0 obs=126

The dd dies immediately with "invalid argument to system call" or
somesuch. In fact, I can't get dd to write on the tape at all.

--
| Chuck Henkel                      |                           |
| Department of Nuclear Engineering | Support nuclear power.    |
| N.C. State University             |                           |
| henkel%nepjt@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu      |                           |

johnson@aixwiz.austin.ibm.com (Fred L. Johnson) (06/13/91)

In article <HENKEL%NEPJT.91Jun12234846@nepjt.ncsuvx.ncsu.edu>,
henkel%nepjt@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu (Chuck Henkel) writes:
...
> Context: Two RS/6000 Model 320s running 3001.
> 	 Tape drive configured for 512 byte blocks, no ECC
> 
...
> And, why doesn't this work:
> 
> backup -0 -b 126 -f - /u | rsh rs2 dd of=/dev/rmt0 obs=126
> 
> The dd dies immediately with "invalid argument to system call" or
> somesuch. In fact, I can't get dd to write on the tape at all.

The dd is dying because of the obs=126.  This is telling dd to use 126 byte
blocks for its write system call.  The 1/4" tape only accepts i/o requests
in multiples of 512 bytes, hence the EINVAL returned to dd from the write
system call.

Using 126b would tell dd to use a block size of 126, 512 byte blocks, and this
should make the tape device driver happier.

- Fred

My remarks and opinions are mine alone...
 ____________________________________________________________________________
|                                  |                                         |
| Fred L. Johnson                  | Internet: johnson@aixwiz.austin.ibm.com |
| IBM Personal Systems Programming | inet: johnson@tanstaafl.austin.ibm.com  |
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mrl@uai.com (Mark R. Ludwig) (06/14/91)

In article <HENKEL%NEPJT.91Jun12234846@nepjt.ncsuvx.ncsu.edu>, henkel%nepjt (Chuck Henkel) writes:
>backup -0 -b 126 -f - /u | rsh rs2 dd of=/dev/rmt0 obs=126
>
>The dd dies immediately with "invalid argument to system call" or
>somesuch. In fact, I can't get dd to write on the tape at all.

I *do* hope you mistyped your post and had

	obs=126b
	       ^
or
	obs=126k
	       ^
or something more than 126 bytes!  On the other hand, I tried this and
got:

	dd: 0511-053 The write failed.
	: Invalid Argument

so maybe you did.  In that case, I suggest you try a larger blocksize.$$
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