Strange interaction between tape and networking...

[Gary Heston]

I am having a strange problem with interaction between TCP/IP
networking software and tape backups. Generally, if the networking
stuff is working, the system will not produce a readable tape
of any length. I can usually get a meg or two to write and read
back, but not always.

I can generate a good tape if I reboot the system and bring it up
to init 2, then run the backup script, then do init 3.

I cannot go boot --> init 3 --> init 2 --> backup; the tape is not
readable. 

The problem affects both tar or cpio. With tar, I generally get a
"directory checksum error" on readback; with cpio, sometimes it
will read a few files before giving a "phase error", usually I get:
"cpio: ERROR: This is not a cpio file. Bad magic number.". In all
cases, the write proceed merrily along it's way, acting fine.

The OS is 386/ix 1.0.6, running on a MultiBus system. The TCP/IP
is "TCP Ethernet Support Version-1.0.5", with "LAYERS-Version 1.0.6"
and "Network Connection Facilities-Version 1.0.4". There's got to
be something in the configuration that's hosing this up; I just
can't find it. One user here suggested that there might be a 
remote tape server, but I was unable to find anything in the
configuration files concerning it. I have swapped drives, boards
(both CPU and mass storage), and even the chassis. I have moved
a new copy of cpio from another system; nothing has helped. At 
the moment, I have to do the reboot --> init 2 --> backup routine
to get a valid tape, which I don't like.

1.0.6 did not come with detailed manuals, and I've gone thru 
everything I can find without success. Going to 2.x is not an
option; it's not available for this machine.

If anyone has any ideas, I would greatly appreciate the help. This
has about driven me up the wall....

Thanks, 
-- 
Gary Heston   System Mismanager and technoflunky   uunet!sci34hub!gary or
My opinions, not theirs.    SCI Systems, Inc.       gary at sci34hub.sci.com
I support drug testing. I believe every public official should be given a
shot of sodium pentathol and ask "Which laws have you broken this week?".