Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!jarthur!uunet!isis!ico!rcd
From: rcd@ico.isc.com (Dick Dunn)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.sysv386
Subject: Re: Copying DOS files to SCO UNIX
Summary: QIC-40 isn't an interface
Message-ID: <1990Sep1.054354.12046@ico.isc.com>
Date: 1 Sep 90 05:43:54 GMT
References: <10558@uswat.UUCP> <1990Aug24.122452@hantsu.enet.dec.com> <1601@s6.Morgan.COM>
Organization: Interactive Systems Corporation, Boulder, CO
Lines: 22

amull@Morgan.COM (Andrew P. Mullhaupt) writes:
| smwong@hantsu.enet.dec.com (Stephen Wong) writes:
| > chuck@uswat.UUCP (Chuck Luciano) writes:
| > |> Will SCO UNIX support a mountain filesafe qic-40 type tape drive? > > 
| > SCO UNIX supports QIC-40 compatible floppy controller type tape drive.
| No way, man. I have a Mountain Filesafe tape drive and after much agony
| was informed by Mountain that their tape drives are not supported for
| SCO UNIX, only SCO Xenix...

Alas, folks, "QIC-40" isn't a spec for an interface between drive and
controller.  It's a data format on the tape itself.  As you're finding out
(i.e., as Mullhaupt is confirming for you), different drives have different
command sets, requirements, etc.

In the DOS world, things are simpler (in a perverse sort of way) because
you get the driver, and probably the utilities, that you need to match the
drive.

The situation with "floppy tape" drives is unfortunately rather confused.
-- 
Dick Dunn     rcd@ico.isc.com -or- ico!rcd       Boulder, CO   (303)449-2870
   ...I'm not cynical - just experienced.