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From: thad@btr.BTR.COM (Thaddeus P. Floryan)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.3b1,unix-pc.general
Subject: Re: 3b1 tape drive blues
Message-ID: <1969@public.BTR.COM>
Date: 1 Mar 91 10:20:14 GMT
References: <1991Feb22.062723.333@texrex.uucp> <724@gpstwr.UUCP>
Followup-To: comp.sys.3b1
Organization: BTR Public Access UNIX, MtnView CA, Contact: cs@btr.com 415-966-1429
Lines: 22

In article <724@gpstwr.UUCP> merv@gpstwr.UUCP (Merv Graham) writes:
>rmfowler@texrex.uucp (Rex Fowler) writes:
>[...]
>I'm not sure this is the same problem as I had, BUT I had the same
>symptoms when I tried to use a tape cartridge other than the one
>(and only one) recommended by AT&T.  I forget the cartridge number
>recomended ( I'm on another machine now).  The system appears to check
>the tape size during the retensioning phase and if it doesn't match it
>quits with an irrelevant error message.

The specific, recommended tape is a 3M DC-600A.

The Sony QD-600A also works fine, but Sony chintzes and supplies only 600'
of tape on the spools whereas 3M places 620' on the spools.

If you attempt to use a brand different from either of the foregoing, be
sure the tape is certified for 12,500 ftpi and 550 oersteds.

If the tape manufacturer doesn't supply that information for the tape of
interest, don't use that tape.

Thad Floryan [ thad@btr.com (OR) {decwrl, mips, fernwood}!btr!thad ]