tar/gtar compatibilty

[chalcopyrites]

Hello all,

I created a tar tape for a colleague using the command:
tar cvEf ...

My colleague tried to extract the data using gtar but got errors, for example:
$ tar xvf /dev/st2
/tmp/PaxHeaders.16849/file1
tar: Removing leading `/' from member names
tar: tmp/PaxHeaders.16849/file1: Unknown file type 'X', extracted as normal file
file1
tar: Skipping to next header
tar: Archive contains `\017\240' where numeric uid_t value expected

I am presuming that because the operand E isn't supported by gtar it cannot handle tar tapes that have been created using it.

Do any of you know a way of taking the data from the tape?

Many Thanks

Erica

 

[KenCunningham]

Maybe pax could do the necessary? Alternatively, you could try dd to read the data.

I want to be good, is that not enough?

 

[PHV]

Which flavor of tar admits the E option and for which purpose ?

Hope This Helps, PH.
FAQ219-2884
FAQ181-2886

 

[chalcopyrites]

I use E when I am writing large files to a tar archive, in this case it was 11Gb. I couldn't tell you what flavour of tar I am using but it on solaris.

 

[KenCunningham]

From the Solaris 8 tar manpage:

E Write a tarfile with extended headers. (Used with c, r, or u options; ignored with t or x options.) When a tarfile is written with extended headers, the modification time is maintained with a granularity of microseconds rather than seconds. In addition,
filenames no longer than PATH_MAX characters that
could not be archived without E, and file sizes
greater than 8GB, are supported. The E flag is
required whenever the larger files and/or files with
longer names, or whose UID/GID exceed 2097151, are to
be archived, or if time granularity of microseconds is
desired.

I take it the tape extracts OK on the system you created it?

I want to be good, is that not enough?

 

[chalcopyrites]

Hi Ken,

I've tried extracting my data on the machine it was created on and there is no problem.

I'm going to try your pax suggestion and see if that works...

 

[PHV]

Can't you install gtar on the Solaris box ?

Hope This Helps, PH.
FAQ219-2884
FAQ181-2886

 

[chalcopyrites]

I think I'll have to! I was just interested to see if there was a solution as I had never had this problem before.

Thanks for all your help,

Erica

 

[jad]

if it's a solaris 9/10 box gnu tar should be in /usr/sfw/bin