138 lines
5.7 KiB
HTML
138 lines
5.7 KiB
HTML
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2 Final//EN">
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<HTML>
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<HEAD>
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<META NAME="GENERATOR" CONTENT="SGML-Tools 1.0.9">
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<TITLE>Ftape-HOWTO: The Care and Feeding of Tape and Tape Drives</TITLE>
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<LINK HREF="Ftape-HOWTO-6.html" REL=next>
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<LINK HREF="Ftape-HOWTO-4.html" REL=previous>
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<LINK HREF="Ftape-HOWTO.html#toc5" REL=contents>
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</HEAD>
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<BODY>
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<A HREF="Ftape-HOWTO-6.html">Next</A>
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<A HREF="Ftape-HOWTO-4.html">Previous</A>
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<A HREF="Ftape-HOWTO.html#toc5">Contents</A>
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<HR>
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<H2><A NAME="s5">5. The Care and Feeding of Tape and Tape Drives</A></H2>
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<P>
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<P>
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<P>
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<H2><A NAME="ss5.1">5.1 Formatting</A>
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</H2>
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<P>
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<P>Before a tape can be used, it must be formatted. The formatting
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process lays out sector information onto the tape. Other tape
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interfaces don't typically require formatting. The reason floppy
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tapes do is that they need to look like a floppy (kinda gross, but
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what the hey - it works :-).
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<P>
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<P>
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<H3>Can I format my tapes under Linux?</H3>
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<P>
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<P>Yes, you can, if you use <CODE>ftape-3.04d</CODE> or above. To format a floppy
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tape cartridge you need a user level tool called <CODE>ftformat</CODE> as well
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which is contained in the <CODE>ftape-tools</CODE> distribution (see section
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<A HREF="Ftape-HOWTO-4.html#getting">Getting ftape</A>).
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<P>The <CODE>ftape-tools</CODE> package comes with its own manual, so I do not need
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to repeat here how to use <CODE>ftformat</CODE>.
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<P>
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<H3>Which formatting programs can I use under DOS?</H3>
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<P>
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<P>The following are known to work:
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<P>
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<UL>
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<LI> Colorado Memory System's software (<CODE>tape.exe</CODE>)</LI>
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<LI> Conner Backup Basics v1.1 and all Windows versions</LI>
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<LI> Norton Backup</LI>
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<LI> QICstream version 2</LI>
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<LI> Tallgrass FileSecure v1.52</LI>
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<LI> Escom Powerstream 3.0 (<CODE>qs3.exe</CODE> -- QICstream v3?)</LI>
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</UL>
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<P>These programs are known to be more or less buggy:
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<P>
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<UL>
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<LI> Conner Backup Basics 1.0</LI>
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<LI> Colorado Windows tape program</LI>
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<LI> CP Backup (wastes tape space, but is OK apart from that)</LI>
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</UL>
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<P>As a general rule, most software under DOS should work. The Conner
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Backup Basics v1.0 has a parameter off by one (someone could not read
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the QIC-80 specs right!), which is corrected in version 1.1. However,
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<CODE>ftape</CODE> detects this, and will work around it. Dennis T. Flaherty
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(<CODE><dennisf@denix.elk.miles.com></CODE>) report that Conner C250MQ
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owners can obtain the new v1.1, by calling Conner at 1-800-4Conner (in
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the US) and ask for an upgrade (for a nominal fee for the floppy).
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The Windows versions should work fine. Some versions of Colorado's
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tape program for windows, has an off-by-one error in the number of
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segments. <CODE>ftape</CODE> also detect and work around that bug.
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<P>Central Point Backup can be used, but it wastes precious tape space
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when it encounters a bad spot on the tape.
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<P>NOTE: If you are running a formatting software under DOS, which is not
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mentioned here, please mail the relevant info to me (
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<A HREF="mailto:heine@math1.rwth-aachen.de"><heine@math1.rwth-aachen.de></A>), so I can update the list.
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<P>
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<P>
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<H2><A NAME="ss5.2">5.2 Retensioning</A>
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</H2>
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<P>
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<P>QIC tapes are particularly sensitive to tape stretch. The reason is
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that floppy tapes are pre-formatted with sector information, whereas
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other tape types have their sync information written as the data is
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written to the tape. If the floppy tape stretches and the sync fields
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get out of sync the result will be read errors. The problem is worse
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with longer tapes.
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<P>It is a good idea to retension new tapes a few times before using them
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and before formatting them. You should also try retensioning the tape
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if you are start getting read errors. It might also be a good idea
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retension the tape before a backup.
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<P>
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<H2><A NAME="ss5.3">5.3 Drive Cleaning</A>
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</H2>
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<P>
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<P>The coating on the tape is an oxide compound. As the tape is dragged
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across the tape head it has a tendency to leave tiny amounts of
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residue on the head. You should periodically use a tape cleaner -
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following the specs for the drive in question. Tape cleaners should
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be available from any distributer of tapes.
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<P>One more additional note about tape cleaning. You might want to clean
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the drive after the first use of a brand new tape. A brand new tape
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will typically leave quite a bit of residue the first time it's used.
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<P>Thanks to
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<A HREF="mailto:nealf@rcs.ee.washington.edu">Neal Friedman</A> for the explanation and suggestion that this information be
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included in the HOWTO.
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<P>
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<H2><A NAME="ss5.4">5.4 Repairing de-spooled cartridges</A>
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</H2>
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<P>
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<P>In rare occasions it can happen that the tape drive doesn't detect the
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<B>EOT</B> (End Of Tape) markers correctly. These markers are simply
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holes in the tape which are detected by the tape drive with means of a
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little photo-transistor (or the like).
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<P>The manual of your tape drive will probably give you proper hints how
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to clean those EOT detectors.
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<P>However, if the EOT detection fails, then the tape drive despooles the
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cartridge because the tape isn't glued to the wheels, but hold by
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friction only.
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<P>There are detailed instructions how to fix such a despooled tape at
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the Iomega WWW pages at
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<P>
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<A HREF="http://www.iomega.com/support/techs/ditto/3006.html">http://www.iomega.com/support/techs/ditto/3006.html</A><P>and at the Hewlett Packard WWW pages at
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<P>
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<A HREF="http://www.hp.com/isgsupport/cms/docs/lpg12020.html">http://www.hp.com/isgsupport/cms/docs/lpg12020.html</A><P>If the pages shouldn't be in the exact locations as given above, then
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please try to browse a little bit through the web pages of HP or
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Iomega until you find the needed information.
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<P>
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<P>
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<HR>
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<A HREF="Ftape-HOWTO-6.html">Next</A>
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<A HREF="Ftape-HOWTO-4.html">Previous</A>
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<A HREF="Ftape-HOWTO.html#toc5">Contents</A>
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