What is the 'real' tape length?

[David J. Camp]

Spot,

We have a Sun 3/260 running SunOS 4.0.  The tapes that I buy for the Sun
say on them "600'", which I assume means 600 feet.  However, when I use
dump, and specify a size longer than 600', it does not fail until
somewhere near 1000' (at least that is what it reports).  I have been
specifying 900' for some time now with no problems.  Does anyone know what
is going on?  Is the tape actually 1000', or is dump broken?

I was using the tape via the /dev/rst0 driver.  Is there any good reason
to use /dev/rst8 instead?

-David-

Bitnet:   david at wubios.wustl             Mr. David J. Camp
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Washington University Medical School     Saint Louis, MO 63110