Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!sgi!markb@denali.sgi.com
From: markb@denali.sgi.com (Mark Bradley)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.sgi
Subject: Re: Problems with Exabyte
Summary: Exabyte on SGI 4D MP machines.
Keywords: exabyte, crufty, Introl
Message-ID: <39568@sgi.SGI.COM>
Date: 4 Aug 89 18:07:43 GMT
References: <35820@bu-cs.BU.EDU>
Sender: daemon@sgi.SGI.COM
Distribution: na
Organization: Silicon Graphics, Inc., Mountain View, CA
Lines: 41

In article <35820@bu-cs.BU.EDU>, jdh@bu-cs.BU.EDU (Jason Heirtzler) writes:
> Is anyone using an Exabyte tape drive from Introl with a
> multi-processor SGI ?
> 
> This is supposedly the people that SGI recommends, but it won't work
> with a multi-processor machine !  When I installed the driver as per
> their instructions and booted up, the screen hung as soon as the
> windowing system started.  So, I waited (about a month) while they
> changed their driver (the response I got from the person who wrote the
> driver was "we never tried that") but still it doesn't work correctly.
> It's hard to believe that no one tried it with a multi-processor until
> now..
> 
> As it stands right now, we can't read tapes unless we specify the no
> rewind device (/dev/dk2300Ta) and Introl is waiting for us to send
> them a copy of the kernel printfs..
> 
> The machine in question is an IRIS-4D GTX running 3.1F
> 
> Any information would be appreciated.  Thanks..
> 
> Jason Heirtzler
> 
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Jason Heirtzler           (617) 353-2780       jdh@bu-it.bu.edu
> Information Technology    Boston University    ..!harvard!bu-cs!bu-it!jdh  

Silicon Graphics recommends that you buy the 8mm helical scan tape drive
from Silicon Graphics--NOT from Introl.  It works just fine on our MP
and non-MP machines off our own SCSI and with our own driver.  I have not
seen nor had the opportunity to test Introl's product, hence it is not
presently blessed as functional on our systems, as far as I know.

						markb


--
Mark Bradley				"Faster, faster, until the thrill of
IO Subsystems				 speed overcomes the fear of death."
Silicon Graphics Computer Systems
Mountain View, CA			     ---Hunter S. Thompson