I know that TK50's and TK70's cannot use DLTtape III cartridges. Coercivity of the magnetic media is wrong. Some of the mid-generation DLT drives can read TK50 and TK70 CompacTapes but cannot write them. I don't have any actual experience with the M2451A. I am guessing that it is something like a DEC TZ30. For all I know, maybe Fujitsu made the TZ30! It "smells" different than the DEC and Quantum drives and I've often wondered about that. That's a tough nut, restoring a system to use a tape drive for which you have no media. If you had old media to read, then it would be far easier to justify some effort. Is the M2451A a SCSI drive? Just hoping out loud that it is, and that the DG OS doesn't care about drive maker, in which case you could use a far more available cartridge drive and carts instead. Tim.