Fedora Users — Re: DDS-4 Tape Drive

dev wrote:

Hi Jim
thanks for the detailed response. I don't have access to the machine until alter this afternoon. I will go through your list then.

From memory, the Tape drive is NOT detected but the scsi adapter is and the
module is loaded. I'll try some options later and come back to you.
regards
Cyril

You may also need to check the tape drive from the physical standpoint. If this is the only scsi device on this controller you will need to make sute the scsi ID is properly set. You also will need to verify termination at the end of the scsi ribbon. Either on the ribbon at the end, or on the tape drive connected at the end of the ribbon.

One thing different about SCSI vs IDE is that scsi *requires* termination at both ends of the bus (and only at the ends). The controller is usually self-terminating so it handles that end of the bus. The cable and attached devices, however, require that you actively make sure termination is properly installed. Some drives are able to be self-terminated, and others require the cable to be terminated instead.

Jeff

1) Check the boot logs. If the tape drive is detected, you should see
something like st: Version 20040318, fixed bufsize 32768, s/g segs 256
Attached scsi tape st0 at scsi0, channel 0, id 4, lun 0
st0: try direct i/o: yes (alignment 512 B), max page reachable by HBA
1048575

In the above example, the tape drive is on device 'st0'. Yours may differ.
Do some research on the difference between the 'st0' and 'nst0' devices and
when you want to use each.

1a) If the tape drive is not detected, did you see the SCSI adapter load?
You will probably need an entry in /etc/modprobe.conf that identifies the
type of SCSI adapter. For example, if you have one of the popular Adaptec
controllers, you should have an entry like "alias scsi_hostadapter
aic7xxx". Substitute your adapter name for the aic7xxx as appropriate.

After defining the adapter, type 'modprobe scsi' as root. You should see
the SCSI adapter scan for attached devices and display the results. You can
'cat /proc/scsi/scsi' to review later.

2) Insert a tape and see what happens. Lights should come on the tape drive
and the tape will rewind.

3) Try the 'mt' command. This command gives you the ability to control the
tape from the command line. Try erasing, rewinding, or the rewoffl command
that rewinds and ejects the tape,

If all that works, then select a backup method and start using it. I use
the extremely simple 'tob' program. Someone on the list is bound to
recommend their favorite utility.

-- Jim Kaufman Linux Evangelist public key 0x6D802619 http://www.linuxforbusiness.net