Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards Path: utzoo!censor!geac!gjetor!adeboer From: adeboer@gjetor.geac.COM (Anthony DeBoer) Subject: Finding tape block size Message-ID: <1991Feb12.224353.6514@gjetor.geac.COM> Organization: Geac J&E Systems Ltd. Date: Tue, 12 Feb 91 22:43:53 GMT I periodically get tapes from client's systems or other sources where the precise tape format isn't documented. What I'm looking to find out is if there's a way to determine exactly what block size was used when the tape was written, or even if this is a major requirement (should I even be worrying about it or not?). Reading with a tasteful default value usually seems to work (even a 512-byte block size has worked before, although at tremendous loss of efficiency), but I'm wondering if there's any chance of data loss with the wrong block size, or any rule of thumb for optimizing things. I have several systems here, so as far as naming my hardware/software configuration goes I'll just mention the Unisys 6000/50 running SVR3.0 with a 150meg QIC drive. And I shouldn't forget the old Convergent Technologies Mightyframe. -- Anthony DeBoer NAUI#Z8800 | adeboer@gjetor.geac.com | Programmer (n): One who Geac J&E Systems Ltd. | uunet!geac!gjetor!adeboer | makes the lies the Toronto, Ontario, Canada | #include | salesman told come true.