write error on 2nd tape - using Archive VP60e

[Jim Rosenberg]

In article <8912230518.AA05930 at decwrl.dec.com> paine at fungus.dec.com (Willy Paine) writes:
>
>I have Interactive 386/ix v2.0.2 and Archive VP 60e tape drive using
>D600 cartridge (60meg).  I have no problem installing and running tape
>only in first time.  After at the end of tape, the message displays to
>insert another volume of tape and press y to continue.  It is always
>stopped with write errors.  This is same for tar, cpio, afio and even
>commercial ctar.  I believe that there is something I have to modify
>default setting under /etc.

This sounds similar to what happened to us when we upgraded an Altos 2000
to a 150M tape.  Does your tar have an option to let you specify how long
the tape is?  If so, try giving a length that is just short of the true
length of the tape, so that tar will ask to change reels before getting
an I/O error from the end of the tape.

With our tape -- which is supposedly the same as the Archive Viper -- I
have learned to be happy with it by slavishly performing a ritual on
each tape before use:  I run a script which retensions the tape, writes
a tiny cpio archive to it, then does a cpio -itv back to test it.  When
I do this I have no problem.  When I didn't I went nuts.  I shouldn't
*have* to do all this all the time, but at least I've got backups down to
a routine.  Before the retension/cpio ritual and specific volume size I
would get an I/O error on just about every reel change.
-- 
Jim Rosenberg                        pitt
Oglevee Computer Systems                 >--!amanue!oglvee!jr
151 Oglevee Lane                      cgh
Connellsville, PA 15425                                #include <disclaimer.h>