Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!chinacat!chip From: chip@chinacat.Unicom.COM (Chip Rosenthal) Newsgroups: comp.unix.sysv386 Subject: Re: Help on tape drive interoperability/reliability Message-ID: <1712@chinacat.Unicom.COM> Date: 20 Nov 90 10:17:29 GMT References: <53180005@hpindda.cup.hp.com> <1990Nov20.000121.23207@ico.isc.com> Organization: Unicom Systems Development, Austin, TX Lines: 25 In article <1990Nov20.000121.23207@ico.isc.com> rcd@ico.isc.com (Dick Dunn) writes: >rajs@hpindda.cup.hp.com (Rajeev Seth) writes: >> Everex tech support told me that it is not good enough that two different >> tape drives/machines read/write QIC-24 because the controller card for the >> drive has some security PAL chip [...] >Not only do we not find it to be true with other brand drives; I barely >find it believable. Of course not. If they did that, it wouldn't be QIC-24 anymore! I think the confusion might be that Bell Tech used to OEM somebody's tape controller card (Everex?) and there was a PAL which prevented the adapters and drives from being interchanged. But as far as media compatibility, if a drive can write QIC-24, then it can swap tapes with a drive which can read QIC-24. If it can't, then one of the two is broke. Three cheers for standards. -- Chip Rosenthal 512-482-8260 | We was raising insurance premiums, ma. Unicom Systems Development | We was spreading fear of arson. | - Michelle Shocked