Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!unix.cis.pitt.edu!dsinc!netnews.upenn.edu!upenn5.hep.upenn.edu!keener
From: keener@upenn5.hep.upenn.edu (Paul T. Keener)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.aix
Subject: reading 8mm tapes on an RS 6000
Message-ID: <28773@netnews.upenn.edu>
Date: 23 Aug 90 22:36:57 GMT
Sender: news@netnews.upenn.edu
Reply-To: keener@upenn5.hep.upenn.edu (Paul T. Keener)
Distribution: na
Organization: University of Pennsylvania
Lines: 34

I have an sl format 8mm tape that was written on a VAX running VMS that I
want to be able to read on a rs 6000.  I have successfully read the tape
on a SUN.  For those who don't know, sl format tapes look like

        file #          contains
          1             Header
          2             Data
          3             Trailer
          4             Header
          5             Data
          6             Trailer
                .
                .
                .

On this particular tape, the first data file is a zero length file.  I was
able to read the first four files on the SUN using
        dd if=/dev/rst1 of=file
and the fifth file using
        dd if=/dev/rst1 of=file ibs=16384

On the rs 6000, I could not read the first four files at all (IO read error),
and using 
        dd if=/dev/rmt0 of=file ibs=16384
was able to get the device driver to read the tape, but it come back with
a zero length file.

Does anybody know how I might be able to read this tape?  Thank you.

        -paul
keener@upenn5.hep.upenn.edu / Anyone who cannot cope with mathematics is not 
keener@penndrls.upenn.edu  / fully human.  At best he is a tolerable subhuman
keener@penndrls.bitnet    / who has learned to wear shoes, bathe and not make
                         / messes in the house.    -L.L.