[geeks] Formatting or Wiping a Tape

[Dave McGuire]

On March 23, James Sharp wrote:
> >     Dave> On March 23, Ron 'The InSaNe OnE' Rosson wrote:
> >     >> Well I finally go my tape drive hooked up to my U1. The person who gave
> >     >> it to me also thru in some used tapes. The problem is under Solaris I
> >     >> am not sure how to wipe or format the tapes so I can use them to back
> >     >> up data.
> >
> >     Dave>   Most tapes don't get "formatted" per se.  You didn't mention what
> >     Dave> kind of tape drive you're using, but for some, a bulk eraser works
> >     Dave> well.  What sort of drive is it?
> >
> >
> > Where is Mr. Wargo when you need him... I got the drive from him.
> >
> 
> Wouldn't it be something as simple as
> 
> dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/tapedrive bs=32k count=numberofblocksontape

  Not necessarily.  Some tapes, DEC TU56 and TU58 come to mind, use an
actual blocked format similar to that of a floppy disk.  Formatting
them involves writing timing marks and headers outside of the data
fields.  Granted this is somewhat unusual, and I don't know if any
more modern tape technologies operate in this way, but these
situations do exist.

             -Dave

-- 
Dave McGuire                    "Watch those lateral G's man,
St. Petersburg, FL               I've got sandwiches in my lap!" -Sridhar