Very Computer

Hello,

I apologize in advance for the lack of details but the machine which manifests
the troubles is in another city and isn't connected to any printer/network.

We have a borrowed Indigo R4000 Entry box with a small internal disk, an
internal floppy, an internal DAT tape, an external DAT tape and an external
~2Gb disk.

When I put a DAT tape writen in TAR format in any of the DAT drivers "mt stat"
says that the tape is ", audio ..., program 170" and won't let me access the
data on the tape.  I removed all the devices to see if it's a SCSI problem
(i.e. left with the internal disk and the internal DAT drive) but still get the
same.  Same results with the external DAT drive.

The same DAT tape reads fine on another machine (also R4000 Entry with a
Python DAT drive) which does NOT say ", audio ..., program 170".

Could it be a known hardware/firmware problem?  I was told another machine also
had such troubles until the driver was replaced but the local support people
can't reach us quick enough and we need the machine ASAP.

Thanks for any hints,

--Amos
--
--Amos Shapira (Jumper Extraordinaire) | "Of course Australia was marked for
C.S. System Group, Hebrew University,  |  glory, for its people had been chosen
Jerusalem 91904, ISRAEL                |  by the finest judges in England."

Try cleaning the heads (with a DDS cleaning tape not with swabs and
fluid).  If it still doesn't work them it is possible the drive is
broken.

        -Mark

| > When I put a DAT tape writen in TAR format in any of the DAT drivers "mt stat"
| > says that the tape is ", audio ..., program 170" and won't let me access the
| > data on the tape.  I removed all the devices to see if it's a SCSI problem
| > (i.e. left with the internal disk and the internal DAT drive) but still get the
| > same.  Same results with the external DAT drive.
| >
| > The same DAT tape reads fine on another machine (also R4000 Entry with a
| > Python DAT drive) which does NOT say ", audio ..., program 170".
| >
| > Could it be a known hardware/firmware problem?  I was told another machine also
| > had such troubles until the driver was replaced but the local support people
| > can't reach us quick enough and we need the machine ASAP.
|
| Try cleaning the heads (with a DDS cleaning tape not with swabs and
| fluid).  If it still doesn't work them it is possible the drive is
| broken.

It's also possible that the tar tape was written over an audio tape,
and the firmware/driver combo can't correctly determine the tape
type.  One hack that sometimes work is to eject the tape, do 'mt audio 0',
insert the tape, and then try to untar it.

But it likely is dirty heads, as Mark says.
--

The most beautiful things in the world are              |   Dave Olson
those from which all excess weight has been             |   Silicon Graphics