30 Jun
2014
30 Jun
'14
11:39 a.m.
Asking for a friend...
Is it possible to still get new BOT markers? If so, does anyone know a
source? Can markers from Audio tapes be used?
Also, does anyone have a list of common error codes from 9-Track tape drives?
Zane
30 Jun
30 Jun
12:17 p.m.
On 6/30/2014 11:39 AM, healyzh at aracnet.com wrote:
Asking for a friend...
Is it possible to still get new BOT markers? If so, does anyone know a
source? Can markers from Audio tapes be used?
Also, does anyone have a list of common error codes from 9-Track tape drives?
Zane
The only requirement I ever saw for these is that they stay in place,
and that they be reflective. I never found any tape drive that used the
fact that they be metallic to work.
The tape is stopped as quickly as the servo can stop at either marker,
and the markers should stay on regardless of the speed the tape is
moving. And it should not ooze anything that will foul the tape as it
is on the reel, so no adhesives that bleed out.
Al has probably seen more than most here, and could comment on what
might be bad choices from a material standpoint. However it is hard to
know what vendor made the ones on the tape if they are replacements.
3-M had the most common if you can find them.
Jim
12:18 p.m.
On 6/30/14 11:39 AM, healyzh at aracnet.com wrote:
Is it possible to still get new BOT markers?
If you only need one roll, Tim Shoppa may still have some. That was
where I got mine years ago.
The rolls were made by Brady.
It is also possible to salvage them from bad tapes, they just aren't
very much fun to reuse. It is often easier to splice a chunk of old
tape with a BOT marker on it, if you're not planning on using the
tape again multiple times. Just don't do a butt-splice and pay attention
to which side the tape scraper with contact.
12:19 p.m.
On 06/30/2014 11:39 AM, healyzh at aracnet.com wrote:
Asking for a friend...
Is it possible to still get new BOT markers? If so, does anyone know a
source? Can markers from Audio tapes be used?
Also, does anyone have a list of common error codes from 9-Track tape drives?
I've used the 1/4" reflective markers used in audio tape quite
successfully. You can even get them pre-cut to 1" lengths.
As far as error codes, what model drive and what interface?
--Chuck
12:45 p.m.
On 06/30/2014 11:39 AM, healyzh at aracnet.com wrote:
I asked about the drive models myself. The only detail I was able to get
is that they're SCSI, at least for now.
Thanks for the info on the audio tape markers, that was my idea, but I've
not had to do something like this in about 20 years, so wasn't sure if it
would work.
Zane
Asking for a friend...
Is it possible to still get new BOT markers? If so, does anyone know a
source? Can markers from Audio tapes be used?
Also, does anyone have a list of common error codes from 9-Track tape
drives?
I've used the 1/4" reflective markers used in audio tape quite
successfully. You can even get them pre-cut to 1" lengths.
As far as error codes, what model drive and what interface?
--Chuck
2:31 p.m.
On 06/30/2014 12:45 PM, healyzh at aracnet.com wrote:
I asked about the drive models myself. The only
detail I was able to get
is that they're SCSI, at least for now.
Thanks for the info on the audio tape markers, that was my idea, but I've
not had to do something like this in about 20 years, so wasn't sure if it
would work.
As long as they're reflective (and audio ones are also conductive),
they'll work fine. Just be sure to get the audio tape ones that have an
adhesive that won't "bleed" and gum things up. Same goes for the tape
used to splice a new leader on.
As far as SCSI goes, error codes depend a lot upon the manufacturer, but
in general, I find the following to pretty much cover most SCSI tape
devices, including DLT, DDS, 8mm, QIC and half-inch reel-to-reel:
typedef enum
{
SCSI_SENSE_NO_SENSE = 0x00,
SCSI_SENSE_RECOVERED_ERROR = 0x01,
SCSI_SENSE_NOT_READY = 0x02,
SCSI_SENSE_MEDIUM_ERROR = 0x03,
SCSI_SENSE_HARDWARE_ERROR = 0x04,
SCSI_SENSE_ILLEGAL_REQUEST = 0x05,
SCSI_SENSE_UNIT_ATTENTION = 0x06,
SCSI_SENSE_DATA_PROTECT = 0x07,
SCSI_SENSE_BLANK_CHECK = 0x08,
SCSI_SENSE_FIRMWARE_ERROR = 0x09,
SCSI_SENSE_COPY_ABORTED = 0x0a,
SCSI_SENSE_ABORTED_COMMAND = 0x0b,
SCSI_SENSE_EQUAL = 0x0c,
SCSI_SENSE_VOLUME_OVERFLOW = 0x0d,
SCSI_SENSE_MISCOMPARE = 0x0e,
// The following mask and bits relate to the upper 3 bits of the
// sense key:
SCSI_SENSE_MASK = 0x0f, // mask for basic status
SCSI_SENSE_FILEMARK = 0x80, // flag
SCSI_SENSE_MEDIA_END = 0x40, // flag
SCSI_SENSE_BAD_LENGTH = 0x20 // flag
} SCSI_SENSE_KEY;
FWIW,
--Chuck
3597
days inactive
3597
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5 comments
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participants (4)
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aek＠bitsavers.org -
cclist＠sydex.com -
healyzh＠aracnet.com -
jws＠jwsss.com