From owner-freebsd-hardware Tue Dec 31 06:05:28 1996 Return-Path: Received: (from root@localhost) by freefall.freebsd.org (8.8.4/8.8.4) id GAA00231 for hardware-outgoing; Tue, 31 Dec 1996 06:05:28 -0800 (PST) Received: from news1.gtn.com (news1.gtn.com [192.109.159.3]) by freefall.freebsd.org (8.8.4/8.8.4) with ESMTP id GAA00205 for ; Tue, 31 Dec 1996 06:05:25 -0800 (PST) Received: (from uucp@localhost) by news1.gtn.com (8.7.2/8.7.2) with UUCP id PAA04115; Tue, 31 Dec 1996 15:02:29 +0100 (MET) Received: from localhost (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by klemm.gtn.com (8.8.4/8.8.2) with SMTP id OAA23528; Tue, 31 Dec 1996 14:28:31 +0100 (MET) Date: Tue, 31 Dec 1996 14:28:28 +0100 (MET) From: Andreas Klemm To: Simon Reading cc: freebsd-hardware@FreeBSD.org Subject: Re: Are HP DAT drives more unreliable than others? In-Reply-To: <3.0.32.19961230104539.00695500@pop.dial.pipex.com> Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Sender: owner-hardware@FreeBSD.org X-Loop: FreeBSD.org Precedence: bulk On Mon, 30 Dec 1996, Simon Reading wrote: > In the freebsd-hardware mailing list, there has been an ongoing thread wrt > DDS reliability. I think we may gain some useful info from posting to > comp.sys.hp.hardware. In de.comp.os.unix there is also a thread about unreliability of these drives. So what do you expect from posting into comp.sys.hp.hardware ? I never saw so many voices of unsatisfied users. The unreliability of DAT drives is the main reason in our company, to switch back to good old QIC technology. Now we sell our customers only Tandberg QIC Streamer, which are - fast (~33MB/min.) - reliable - not noisy (direct driven motor) - backward compatible (down to 60 MB read, 150 MB write) > Questions which we are trying to answer include: > - How reliable is DDS/DDS-2 (DAT) technology? As far as I read not much reliable. Another numbers: QIC tapes may be rewritten very often (about 100 times), whereas it's recommended to use DDS cartridges only about 20 times for backup. QIC tapes hold data about 10 years, DDS cartridges only about 2 years. > - Can anything be done to extend DDS drive life? Clean the heads on a regular basis and only with the suggested cleaning cartridges or kits. > Q. can anyone confirm the life of the head drum? (Please state the source > of this info). > > Q. Typically, how expensive is it to replace an HP head drum? > > Q. How does the reliability of HP compare to other makes of drive? > It would be useful if replies regarding drive experiences include: Sorry, can't give you more real numbers or facts. I'd switch to QIC technology if I were you. I think the drives are more robust. Tandberg QIC tapes are really fine. I have a 4222 and am very satisfied. Had no problem to read my old 150 MB cartridges, which were written with an Archive Vipwer 2525 (a 525MB streamer). And this drive is really very silent. An additional plus. Andreas /// -- andreas@klemm.gtn.com /\/\___ Wiechers & Partner Datentechnik GmbH Andreas Klemm ___/\/\/ Support Unix -- andreas.klemm@wup.de pgp p-key http://www-swiss.ai.mit.edu/~bal/pks-toplev.html >>> powered by <<< ftp://sunsite.unc.edu/pub/Linux/system/Printing/aps-491.tgz >>> FreeBSD <<<