Jim Gettys wrote:
>
> I've spent alot of time looking around the web, and haven't been able
> to figure this out. I just found this mailing list, after a random walk.
> Documentation in this area seems to need some help... Sigh...
>
> Version of the tape utilities in RH6.0 seems to be: mt-st-0.5b-3
>
> I have a Sony STD-9000, which is a DDS 3 DAT drive. The scsi controller
> is an AdvanSys ABP940UW.
Combo works great.
[SNIP]
> [root@zap log]# mt status
> SCSI 2 tape drive:
> File number=0, block number=0, partition=0.
> Tape block size 512 bytes. Density code 0x13 (DDS (61000 bpi)).
> Soft error count since last status=0
> General status bits on (41010000):
> BOT ONLINE IM_REP_EN
>
> and it contineus to say DDS1...
Hi Jim,
You can safely ignore the density stuff. The Sony DAT drive
automatically sets the density properly for the tape type that you
insert. The DDS-3 drive will properly operate with 90M, 120M, and 125M
tapes (60M's get ejected with the current firmware). The st driver
under Linux doesn't really care what density is set - it lets the tape
drive do its job.
I realize that this goes against that old mechanism where you HAD to
specifiy the density or the driver and drive wouldn't talk to one
another properly, but tape things are more "intelligent" now :-)!
I would recommend that you set the drive to variable block mode,
however, to get the best performance:
mt -f /dev/nst0 setblk 0
--
Tim Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Vice President http://www.estinc.com/
Enhanced Software Technologies, Inc. (602) 470-1115
"The BRU Guys"
