weird tar

[Voja]

Hello all
Being relatively new in AIX, I have a lot of questions unanswered. The system is so like linux but so unlike...
How do I get tar to work with my dlt tape unit?
a simple tar -cvf /dev/rmt4 won't do it
IBM RS6000/AIX 4.3.3 (or 2?)

bash-2.03$ tar -cvf /dev/rmt4 /apl/vojat/
a /apl/vojat/
a /apl/vojat/Instal
a /apl/vojat/Instal/tar.1.13.25.tar 4000 blocks.
tar: 0511-195 An error occurred while writing to the storage media.
: A system call received a parameter that is not valid.

If I specify block of any size, it also won't work:
bash-2.03$ tar -cv -b200 -f/dev/rmt4 /apl/vojat/
tar: 0511-166 200 is not a valid numeric block size.

What am I doing wrong? Remote tar works fine with "obs=value"?

 

[dblair]

try
tar -cvBf /dev/rmt4 1024 /apl/vojat/

 

[DSMARWAY]

hi,

1. On linux , is there a default block size or a block size set for tape drive if so what is it ?
normally on AIX you can do lsattr -El rmt? ( ? tape drive no.)
if 0 it is set to variable . ( i.e. your command can control it)

2. On linux can you set uour block size of tape drive to variable , if not use the block that is set for your tape drive e.g. 64k

3. Create tar on tape for linux NB using 64k block size as an example if variable you can specify one else it should be portable)

4. on AIX box extract files use block size if used on linux else don't use block size. Check block size of tape drive
( lsattr -El rmt?) if different change it eithe via smit .. devices .. tape drive or chdev command ( man chdev)

5. On linux is there a compatible option with tar i.e. portable to other operating systems ..

HTH

 

[burza]

just do:

1. chdev -l 'rmt4' -a block_size='10240'

2. tar -cvf /dev/rmt4 /apl/vojat/

 

[Voja]

...I didn't mention that DLT tape is configured and working well under AIX, so I can't change those values... And the value is set to 51200 as the "best for performance"...