[rescue] bulk erasing DLT tapes (or, more specifically, NOT)

[Curtis H. Wilbar Jr.]

Robert Darlington wrote:
> Hehe, make use of that old crappy autochanger!  I use my old dell
> powervault (storagevault?) for erasing 8 tapes at a time, and by that
> I mean overnight.
>   

But will it erase a 20G tape into a 40G tape (or even vise versa) ?

I'm wondering if the reason the VS80 doesn't do this is because it has more
tracks ?  and as such may have a thinner read/write head... making a 
situation
like writing 360K disks in a 1.2M drive that had previously been formatted/
written by a 360K drive.... ???

-- Curt

> -Bob
>
> On Jan 18, 2008 10:01 PM, Curtis H. Wilbar Jr. <rescue at hawkmountain.net> wrote:
>   
>> OMFG...  I used to worry about keeping magnetic media near magnetic
>> fields...
>> I wouldn't think twice at this point about storing a DLT IV tape near a
>> computer
>> monitor, speaker, or large permanent magnet even...
>>
>> I started with a RS video tape eraser (6 amps).... heh... the DLT tape
>> laughed...
>>
>> I think got off ebay a heavy bulk eraser for professional audio/video
>> erasing...
>> 15A .... yowza... heavy... big, loud (the hum), makes a strong field...
>>
>> The f'ing DLT tape is still lauging at me ?  What do you need to erase
>> these,
>> a thermonuclear EMP ?!?!?!?!
>>
>> I've exposed a tape to 1 minute topside, one minute bottom side... I can
>> still
>> READ the f'ing contents !
>>
>> This all started as I have tons of 20G formatted DLT IV tapes, but now
>> have a
>> VS80 drive (40G format)....
>>
>> Unreal.... guess I need a degausser that uses 240V and draws like 40A or
>> something....
>>
>> Or do I just need to leave it on mine for like 10 minutes (it seems to
>> cut out
>> (thermal protection?) after 1 minute even though it is rated for a 10
>> minute on
>> duty cycle) ?
>>
>> Anyone in the MA/RI area with a degausser that can actually erase these
>> things ?
>>
>> New (professional) units rated for DLT erasure are simply out of my
>> budget....
>>
>> -- Curt
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>>     
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