3b1 and tape

[Thomas J. Pusateri]

In article <1991Feb11.211146.28794 at news.gvl.unisys.com> derekp at gvlf9-m.gvl.unisys.com () writes:
>
>	Can anyone tell me the straight scoop? Is it possible for me 
>	to read tapes created on a SUN, on a 3b1 tape system? Is it 
>	possible to make a SUN write a QIC-II format tape? If not

>From the SunOS 4.1 st man page:


     For QIC-24 tape devices (Emulex MT-02 and Sysgen SC4000):
          /dev/rst[0-3]        QIC-11 Format
          /dev/rst[8-11]       QIC-24 Format
          /dev/rst[16-20]      QIC-24 Format
          /dev/rst[24-28]      QIC-24 Format
          /dev/nrst[0-3]       non-rewinding QIC-11 Format
          /dev/nrst[8-11]      non-rewinding QIC-24 Format
          /dev/nrst[16-19]     non-rewinding QIC-24 Format
          /dev/nrst[24-27]     non-rewinding QIC-24 Format

     Note:  The QIC-24 format is preferred over QIC-11 for Sun-3,
     Sun-3x, Sun-4, and Sun386i systems.


In summary, on the older shoebox tape drives, writing to rst0 gave you
QIC-11 while writing to rst8 gave you QIC-24. You can read from either
device and it will automatically switch to the write format.

If your 3b1 can write QIC-11 you should be in business!

Tom Pusateri
pusateri at nbsr.duke.edu