[comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware] Request for info about JUMBO CMS tape drive.

antoniop@cernvax.cern.ch (antonio pastore) (12/14/90)

Hi netlanders,

I recently bought a tape drive from Colorado Memory System, model
"JUMBO" 40-60 MB. Because I would like to directly access the drive
using my own programs (I have already written a TAR alike program which
I want to reuse with this tape), I am looking about the technical
information on how to do it. Basically I would need reading/writing
blocks of data. The tape is connected using the Floppy Disk controller.

I am experienced C and Assembler programmers.

Please mail any answer directly to my mail address.

Thanks in advance,
	Antonio Pastore

/---------------------------------------------------------------------------\
| Antonio Pastore                  | CERN - CN/CE/MS Microprocessor Support |
| E-Mail: antoniop@cernvax.cern.ch | 1211 Geneva 23, Switzerland (Europe)   |
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------/

mikey@shuksan.UUCP (Mike Fields) (12/15/90)

In article <3579@cernvax.cern.ch>, antoniop@cernvax.cern.ch (antonio pastore) writes:
> Hi netlanders,
> 
> I recently bought a tape drive from Colorado Memory System, model
> "JUMBO" 40-60 MB. Because I would like to directly access the drive
> using my own programs (I have already written a TAR alike program which
> I want to reuse with this tape), I am looking about the technical
> information on how to do it. Basically I would need reading/writing
> blocks of data. The tape is connected using the Floppy Disk controller.
> /---------------------------------------------------------------------------\
> | Antonio Pastore                  | CERN - CN/CE/MS Microprocessor Support |
> | E-Mail: antoniop@cernvax.cern.ch | 1211 Geneva 23, Switzerland (Europe)   |
> \---------------------------------------------------------------------------/


Please post anything you find out.  I called CMS with the same questions
recently and while they were nice to me, all they did was refer to 
getting a copy of the QIC-40 spec and one other (I don't have the info
with me).  They were not about to discuss the interface at all.  I would
like to find out how to talk to the tape as well since I want to be 
able to use tar as well as be able to read the tape directories  so
I can easily maintain a file of what is stored on the tapes.  The 
Jumbo does seem to be a nice drive for the money however, I just wish
it did not retension the tape each time you load a tape (I assume that
is what is doing when it runs the tape back and forth)!

mikey



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