Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!samsung!uunet!bbs!karl From: karl@naitc.naitc.com (Karl Denninger) Newsgroups: comp.unix.admin Subject: Re: Advice on change of tape drive please. Summary: Opposite reaction and success Message-ID: <1990Dec05.161048.3605@naitc.naitc.com> Date: 5 Dec 90 16:10:48 GMT References: <3438@sud509.ed.ray.com> Reply-To: karl@bbs.naitc.com (Karl Denninger) Organization: A.C. Nielsen Co. Lines: 33 In article <3438@sud509.ed.ray.com> heiser@tdw201.ed.ray.com writes: >In article peda@simplicity.Stanford.EDU (Bill Codding) writes: >> >> b) Archive says you can use either DC600A or DC6150 on their QIC-150. >> They say the physical medium is the same, so no wear problems. However, >> the 6150 has an additional capstan (roller) and a wider opening in the >> plastic housing. The tape identification marks tell the tape drive >> to write more tracks on the 6150, since the housing hole allows more head >> clearance. Thus, 120MB on a 600A, and 150MB on a 6150. > >I have been unable to write to 600A tapes in my Archive Viper 2150S. I >have had mixed results trying to READ 600A tapes in the same drive -- >I suspect it is a Unix problem rather than a drive problem -- the troubles >involved tar and cpio, but dd worked OK. I have been using 6150 tapes >on a regular basis. You're drive is hosed, or you're not using ISC. I have used a 2150S Archive drive with ISC 2.0.2 now for almost a year. I run my backups daily to DC600A tapes, since I have a ton of these, they're still good, and I can't see a reason to scrap perfectly good media. I get 125MB on each tape. Tastes great, less filling :-) No problems with either backup or restore, and I've had to restore many times. -- Karl Denninger AC Nielsen kdenning@ksun.naitc.com (708) 317-3285 Disclaimer: Contents represent opinions of the author; I do not speak for AC Nielsen on Usenet.