From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Thu Sep 1 16:28:22 2011 Return-Path: Delivered-To: questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id D8DE3106566C for ; Thu, 1 Sep 2011 16:28:22 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from fbsd-ml@gehlbach.com) Received: from element.websitewelcome.com (element.websitewelcome.com [74.53.26.50]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id B10528FC2A for ; Thu, 1 Sep 2011 16:28:22 +0000 (UTC) Received: from [64.253.112.88] (port=60167 helo=[192.168.50.97]) by element.websitewelcome.com with esmtpa (Exim 4.69) (envelope-from ) id 1QzA7k-00073Q-5l; Thu, 01 Sep 2011 11:28:17 -0500 Message-ID: <4E5FB2BB.5070805@gehlbach.com> Date: Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:28:43 -0400 From: Renee Gehlbach User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux x86_64; en-US; rv:1.9.2.20) Gecko/20110805 Thunderbird/3.1.12 MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Robert Bonomi References: <201108270043.p7R0hul1028575@mail.r-bonomi.com> In-Reply-To: <201108270043.p7R0hul1028575@mail.r-bonomi.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-AntiAbuse: This header was added to track abuse, please include it with any abuse report X-AntiAbuse: Primary Hostname - element.websitewelcome.com X-AntiAbuse: Original Domain - freebsd.org X-AntiAbuse: Originator/Caller UID/GID - [47 12] / [47 12] X-AntiAbuse: Sender Address Domain - gehlbach.com X-BWhitelist: no X-Source: X-Source-Args: X-Source-Dir: X-Source-Sender: lexdsl01.4.0.0.178.a.iglou.com ([192.168.50.97]) [64.253.112.88]:60167 X-Source-Auth: krgehlba@support.gehlbach.com X-Email-Count: 1 X-Source-Cap: cmRnZWhsYmE7cmRnZWhsYmE7ZWxlbWVudC53ZWJzaXRld2VsY29tZS5jb20= Cc: questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Problem reading from tape drive -- SOLVED, or at least a workaround X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Thu, 01 Sep 2011 16:28:22 -0000 >> Is there any way I could test to make sure this is in fact what's happening? > Try writing several files to the tape, each in it's own operation, > and issue a 'mt -bsf' between each operation. > > THEN try reading from the tape. with just successive 'read' operations. > *NO* 'mt' positioning > > If everything is working 'properly', there will be *ONLY*ONE* file on the tape. > > If there is an O/S failure to 'backspace on close' you'll get all the original > files, one on each read attempt. > > If the O/S has a _complete_ 'failure to backspace', you'll get a tape that > functions identially to your earlier tests -- you can find all the file > by 'mt -fsf' between reads > > Other things to try. > 1) *write* a multi-file tape under Unbuntu, and try to read it under FreeBSD. > 2) *write* a multi-file tape under FreeBSD, and try to read it under Unbuntu. > 3) If there are read issues, see if the 'mt -fsf' hack allows you to > find everything. > OK, it's definitely an O/S failure to backspace on close, because the tape does read properly when I manually backspace after each file. >> Unfortunately, the "workaround" of running mt -fsf >> after every file read > if it worked, 'mf -bsf' after every _write_ would be a better solution. > But it probably suffers from the same 'not really usable' defect. *cheers* And YES!!!! That's a usable workaround! Luckily enough, Bacula will run a script after each backup job, all I'll have to do is add a mt -bsf command to that script! > _I_ have no clue what 'bacula' is -- sounds sort-of like a Transylvanian > back-up utility. One with 'fangs' init, and issues with mirrors. Close! It's a multi-platform client-server backup application. Its tagline used to be something like "Comes in the night, and sucks the essence from your computers." When I went to check the precise wording, though, it's no longer on their logo. I guess someone objected.....too bad, I got a kick from that tagline. I find it to be a great open-source replacement for backup exec. I can have the Bacula server and tape drive on one FreeBSD or Linux box, and install clients on all of my other FreeBSD & Linux servers, and Linux & Windows desktops to back them all up to that one tape drive. Thanks for all of your help!!!!!! Renee