TK50/TK70 Info

[Kyle Owen]

I hope to start backing up my MicroVAX 3800 soon via the TK70. Sounds like
8mm is more unreliable than the TK70, and I don't have but one
magneto-optical disk.

Are there any precautions I need to take before sticking a tape in the
drive? Pinch rollers that might be gooey?

I assume the TK70 drive is backwards compatible with TK50 tapes?

Lastly, I've got some tapes that I couldn't find much info on. Here are the
labels:

ER206200-00 REV G 1.03
P4000 DOWNLINE VMS SOFTWARE
09-29-89
(C) 1988 EMULEX

ER2062014-00 REV A
P4000 LAT-TCP/IP VER 2.00
05/14/90 TK50 (VMS LOAD)
(C) 1990 EMULEX

ER2062014-00 REV 01
P4000 LAT-TCP/IP VER 2.00B2
05/1/90 TK50 (VMS LOAD)
(C) 1990 EMULEX

ER2062014-00 REV 00
P4000 LAT-TCP/IP SOFTWARE
3-22-90 TK50 (VMS LOAD)
(C) 1990 EMULEX

Are any of those worth keeping? Any tips on getting those tapes online
using my VAX? I know there are utilities for the PDP-8 and PDP-11 world,
but being thrown into VAX and VMS so quickly, it may take me a bit to catch
up. Any recommendations on reading material?

I also have a tape for VAX Occam 2 from INMOS. I know what that is, as I
have a 64-node Transputer array. It'd be nice to get that going at some
point for fun.

Thanks,

Kyle