Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!van-bc!twg!bill
From: bill@twg.bc.ca (Bill Irwin)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.xenix.sco
Subject: Error message: tar: could not stat /some/valid/file
Message-ID: <459@twg.bc.ca>
Date: 13 Jan 91 07:55:14 GMT
Organization: The Westrheim Group, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Lines: 32

I  have  seen  this error before, which usually  means  the  file
you're  trying  to  archive doesn't exit.  I am  getting  several
messages  that  complain about valid files, as well as one  about
not being able to chdir.

The  archive  is  run from a script which directs  the  error  to
a file, as follows:

if tar 8cvekF 58000 /tmp/Master.list 2>$ErrorLog

Since  this is a large archive on a 60Mb tape I am prompted twice
to insert the next volume.  I find it strange that this prompting
message  is sent to the standard error (and thus to the error log
file)  rather than the standard output, but when I see the  light
go  out on the tape and the list of files stops scrolling I  know
it's time to put in another tape.

tar: could not stat usr/lib/mvw/sk.*
tar: cannot chdir to usr2/mcba_4.1/??4src

There  are several directories ending in "4src", so I don't  know
why tar couldn't go there.  Does anyone know what would cause the
"stat" error, with a file that exists?  The archive is run logged
on as root.  The O/S is SCO XENIX V/386 2.3.2, with the kernel at
2.3.3.

Thanks for any help.
-- 
Bill Irwin    -       The Westrheim Group     -    Vancouver, BC, Canada
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