Date: Tue, 5 Dec 95 14:34:14 CST From: dietz@cyrix.com (Carl Dietz) To: terry@lambert.org (Terry Lambert) Cc: hackers@FreeBSD.org Subject: Re: ft (QIC 40/80) Message-ID: <9512052034.AA13351@max.cyrix.com> In-Reply-To: <199512051948.MAA02289@phaeton.artisoft.com>; from "Terry Lambert" at Dec 5, 95 12:48 pm
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Terry Lambert writes: > > > I guess this explains the troubles I've been having with my new floppy tape > > drive I bought this last week. It wouldn't work with tar, dd, or mt. I was > > beginning to think that something was wrong with the tape drive, 'cause the > > FreeBSD docs say that the floppy tape is supported. FreeBSD was recognizing > > it at boot-up, but wouldn't do anything else with it. > > > > I only bought the thing because FreeBSD said it supported it, and I can't > > afford to buy the SCSI DAT drive that I'd really love to have (pipe dream :-) ). > > You have to use the ft filter between your program and the floppy tape > device. > > > But the FreeBSD documentation never said that it wasn't fully supported like > > the SCSI tape drives are. > > It's *impossible* to fully support the things without heavy kernel > hacking on timer code and allowing kernel preemption (or buzz-looping). > > The NEC floppy controller chips used in most PC's doesn't have a FIFO, > so it takes realtime features (or like DOS, running *only* the special > backup software and no other programs) to support the things. > Sorry, I forgot about the fact that a NEC765 ain't that smart (and the sad thing is that I **KNEW** that back in my college days). > > How exactly is the QIC 80 120MB floppy tape drive supported under FreeBSD ? > > With a filter. > > > Since tar, dd, and mt don't work, what do I use to read/write from/to the > > drive ? > > man ft > > > Or should I just flush my new tape drive down the toilet ? > > New !== Good. You *can* use it, however, as long as you follow the rules > and use the ft filter. > Thank you so much for the quick reply! I must confess (with shame :-) ) that doing a 'man ft' never occurred to me. (I MUST be getting old...) I realize that the QIC 80 120MB is cheapo tape drive, but for only $30, I just couldn't turn it down. With FreeBSD distributed on CDRoms, I only really need to back up my 200MB /home partition, so I couldn't justify buying a better tape drive now (especially with all the Christmas shopping.) Besides, right now I'm saving my money for a Quantum fireball to replace my aging full height WREN 660MB hard disk... Thanks again, Carl --------------------------------------------------------------- | Carl Dietz M3 Cache Designer | | dietz@cyrix.com (214) 968-8249 | --------------------------------------------------------------- | SULU: "As advanced as you obviously are, you still play ?" | | KIRK: "Yes, Mr. Sulu, play. The more complex the mind, the | | greater the need for the simplicity of play." | | STTOS:"Shore Leave" | ---------------------------------------------------------------
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