Brian Cuttler wrote:
> Gene,
> 
> I had no idea it was that difficult to reset.
> 
> I apologize if I left the impression that I thought it
> was an amanda issue, I was sure it was in the HW and
> the driver, but I didn't express.
> 
> In truth I seldom touch a drive for other amanda amanda
> related work, only when assisting an end-user backing up
> their own data or installing a new drive for an end-user use.
> 
> On Fri, Mar 05, 2010 at 01:30:43PM -0500, Gene Heskett wrote:
> 
> > On Friday 05 March 2010, Brian Cuttler wrote:
> > 
> > > Rory,
> > > 
> > > I may be wrong, nor my information obsolete for your tapedevice
> > > but I seem to recall that if you want to actually turn off compression
> > > you have to also relabel the tape. If it sees the amlabel was
> > > written in compessed mode...
> > > 
> > > 
> > Yes, back when I was using tape, that was a major problem, so much so that 
> > I 
> > finally read the first block of a new, but labeled, uncompressed tape, then 
> > used dd to write that first block to every tape on the premises, then 
> > forcibly relabeled them for my system.  A certified PIMA...  Then I bought 
> > another case of tape from ebay,  they looked new, cello wrap & the whole 
> > maryann, but they weren't, and the whole scene had to be repeated, its a 
> > darned virus I think.
> > 
> > This BTW, is not an amanda problem, its 100% the drive, it reads its own 
> > hidden header data while 'recognizing' or 'accepting' the tape, and sets 
> > the 
> > compression according to what it finds.  So that gets reset to match the 
> > tape 
> > any time you do a rewind, so you must do the rewind, and THEN issue the 
> > compression off command, through mtx I think it was, and then, without 
> > accessing the drive, write the uncompressed first block.  Never give it a 
> > chance to re-read that block until its done writing the new one..
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > > On Fri, Mar 05, 2010 at 12:21:32PM -0500, rory_f wrote:
> > > 
> > > > Dustin J. Mitchell wrote:
> > > > 
> > > > > On Fri, Mar 5, 2010 at 9:17 AM, rory_f <amanda-forum < at > 
> > > > > 
> > > > 
> > > 
> > backupcentral.com> wrote:
> > 
> > > 
> > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > > i'm doing a tape run now, using the original tapetype definition, 
> > > > > > and
> > > > > > it has filled a tape to around 238gb and moved onto the next one
> > > > > > (well it has changed tapes,it's still waiting to write to tape)
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > is this normal?
> > > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > Amanda treats any error from the tape drive as EOT.  It's the nature
> > > > > of UNIX kernel drivers that they don't give much more information than
> > > > > that.  So it's quite possible that your tape drive is failing, or the
> > > > > tapes are failing, and intermittent errors are causing the early EOT
> > > > > indication.
> > > > > 
> > > > > Alternately, maybe the earlier amtapetype run was made with hardware
> > > > > compression on?  The size is about double..
> > > > > 
> > > > > Dustin
> > > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > I made sure to turn compression off and also the output of the tapetype
> > > > didn't mention compression was on - it normally does if it detects
> > > > compression, right?
> > > > 
> > > > Perhaps compression is turned on elsewhere - im not sure where though. 
> > > > So
> > > > you think what is happening is the kernel thinks these tapes are only
> > > > 200~gb and giving an EOT to amanda - when infact they are 400gb LTO3
> > > > tapes.
> > > > 
> > > > I doubt the tapes are failing - but i mean it is possible, i've used the
> > > > same type of tapes for over 400 tapes with amanda and never seen this
> > > > issue.
> > > > 
> > > > I'm guessing then it's the drive itself.. there's no real way to tell.
> > > > This is our second tape drive, the one we have used more consistantly
> > > > with Amanda is out being replaced as it died, too :/
> > > > 
> > > > I'll run a amtapetype again to make sure, i guess.
> > > > 
> > > > +----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > > > 
> > > > |This was sent by rory < at > mrxfx.com via Backup Central.
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> > > 
> > > ---
> > > Brian R Cuttler                 brian.cuttler < at > wadsworth.org
> > > Computer Systems Support        (v) 518 486-1697
> > > Wadsworth Center                (f) 518 473-6384
> > > NYS Department of Health        Help Desk 518 473-0773
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > IMPORTANT NOTICE: This e-mail and any attachments may contain
> > > confidential or sensitive information which is, or may be, legally
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> > > is intended only for the addressee.  If you received this in error or
> > > from someone who was not authorized to send it to you, please do not
> > > distribute, copy or use it or any attachments.  Please notify the
> > > sender immediately by reply e-mail and delete this from your
> > > system. Thank you for your cooperation.
> > > 
> > > 
> > 
> > 
> > -- 
> > Cheers, Gene
> > "There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
> > soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
> > -Ed Howdershelt (Author)
> > 
> > You are as I am with You.
> > 
> ---
> Brian R Cuttler                 brian.cuttler < at > wadsworth.org
> Computer Systems Support        (v) 518 486-1697
> Wadsworth Center                (f) 518 473-6384
> NYS Department of Health        Help Desk 518 473-0773
> 
> 
> 
> IMPORTANT NOTICE: This e-mail and any attachments may contain
> confidential or sensitive information which is, or may be, legally
> privileged or otherwise protected by law from further disclosure.  It
> is intended only for the addressee.  If you received this in error or
> from someone who was not authorized to send it to you, please do not
> distribute, copy or use it or any attachments.  Please notify the
> sender immediately by reply e-mail and delete this from your
> system. Thank you for your cooperation.



Hey guys. Thanks

I checked my library GUI and for the tape run i was just talking about, where 
it was stopping around 230gb, it seems compression WAS on. I turned it off via 
mt and now the gui says "off" (after stopping the run obviously)

I was *sure* i turned it off with mt before.  Im doing another amtapetype now.

And the comment regarding labeling: thanks. I'll most certainly relabel all the 
tapes after this tapetype is done.

Thanks again guys.

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