david@talgras.UUCP (David Hoopes) (03/08/91)
Hello net-land,
I am looking for information on using QIC-40 or QIC-80 tape drives (the
ones that attach to the floppy controller) on SCO Unix, SCO Xenix, and
Interactive Unix.
I would like to know the pros and cons of using these type of drives.
Which ones you would recomend? Which ones do you not recomend?
Thanks in advance.
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David Hoopes Tallgras Technologies Inc.
uunet!talgras!david 11100 W 82nd St.
Voice: (913) 492-6002 x323 Lenexa, Ks 66214 rabullin@athena.mit.edu (Robert A Bullington) (03/13/91)
In article <50@talgras.UUCP> david@talgras.UUCP (David Hoopes) writes: > >Hello net-land, > > I am looking for information on using QIC-40 or QIC-80 tape drives (the >ones that attach to the floppy controller) on SCO Unix, SCO Xenix, and >Interactive Unix. > > I would like to know the pros and cons of using these type of drives. >Which ones you would recomend? Which ones do you not recomend? > David, You may be surprised to learn (as I was) that attaching a tape drive to your floppy controller will preclude restoring your root filesystem from a tape backup (assuming you have an emergency boot floppy). This is only possible when the tape backup is connected to an independant controller card. My experience with the Colorado Memory Systems JUMBO drive have been mixed. Mechanically, the drive has performed excellently. The Xenix drivers I purchased for use in the floppy controller-dependant configuration performed well and acted as a well integrated part of the existing Xenix OS. However; when I tried to obtain root restore capability with an independant controller, I discovered that I had no choice but to use CMS`s menu-driven driver - a program which operated inconsistently, required an ANSI console for configuration, and discouraged use of the resident Xenix backup utilities by limiting features such as data compression and multi-volume tapes to CMS's own set of backup utilities. CMS, wherever you are - if you wish to cater to the UNIX/XENIX market, show some respect for the elegance of the OS; make your programs read termcap/terminfo! Hope this is helpful, best wishes, Robert Bullington -- Robert A. Bullington 20 Village Street #2 Marblehead, MA 01945 617/631-8334