29 Sep
2003
29 Sep
'03
10:24 a.m.
. So I'm wondering, do those rings stop you
from writing, or enable you to write when installed? I want to try
selling the 9 track tapes on ebay, but I want to make sure I specify the
correct status of the rings (that don't exist).
Also, are these safe to bulk erase with an electromagnet?
And finally, are all 9 track tapes the same?
The hymn of the day is "no ring, no write".
Yes, you can erase them with a powerful magnet. I dont remember the exact strength the
magnet must have.
In my 30-odd years of IT, I've only come across tapes with a mounting hole of some 9
cm (3.5 inch or so, so physically there is no problem.
However, magtapes come in various densities, and it is very common that tapes certified
for 800 bpi cannot be written succesfully on 6250 bpi drives.
If I were you,I would specificy the reel diameter and the certified density. The tape
I'm looking at at this instant, says on the label "3M Scotch 777 6250 bpi",
so in this case I would say "7 inch reel, 6250 bpi"
Many installations using tapes, have the policy that they have only as many rings as they
have tape drives. This is a very secure way to ensure that tapes are not accidentally
overwritten, as you have mount a ring before you can write, and even todays operators can
think. A bit.
:-)
Nico