Writing SCSI 9-Track Mag Tapes from Windows/DOS

[Dave G4UGM]

I think that the options are limited these days. As far as I can tell the Adaptech USB Exchange isn't supported past XP. I have no idea if it works as I don't have one to try. They also seem "Rare and Expensive"

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161840342686

You can get a machine with a traditional PCI slot and use an older Adaptec SCSI adaptor. (I keep a box of these and a machine with a PCI slot). You can get PCI-Express adaptors but the cheap ones won't fit in my desktop as it only has a PCI-Express X1 slot and most of the adaptors need an X4 slot... e.g.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281812515989

and the X1 versions are expensive...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/291539495842

and these are both U320 standard so only Low Voltage Differential (LVD) devices will work and many older disks are 5V single ended...
... of course you can get converters but the price is high

http://www.paralanstore.net/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=60_1

So  keep an old machine and pray it does not break.....

Dave Wade
G4UGM

> -----Original Message-----
> From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Mike Ross
> Sent: 03 October 2015 11:07
> To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
> <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
> Subject: Re: Writing SCSI 9-Track Mag Tapes from Windows/DOS
> 
> Well that link gave some things to think about - but I was thinking more of a
> generic 'legacy SCSI disks and tapes into a modern computer'
> without necessarily being tooooo picky about which OS or application to use
> with them - but generally yes going to and from physical devices to image
> files.
> 
> Mike
> 
> On Sat, Oct 3, 2015 at 9:47 PM, Dave G4UGM <dave.g4ugm at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > Seeing as all the programs mentioned appear to only have  Windows
> versions available then if by "this kind of approach" you meant using the
> programs mentioned, its not going to work on Linux "out of the box".
> > A quick web search shows that at least some SCSI adaptors don't work
> > in the way I expected
> >
> > http://forum.silverfast.com/canoscan-2700-and-scsi-usb-adaptator-t4703
> > .html
> >
> > which implies that rather than present the disk to Windows as a SCSI
> controller and devices, the SCSI2USB presents it as a USB storage device. The
> programs below appear to expect an ASPI driver so I think the answer is
> these don't work either.
> >
> > Dave
> >
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Mike
> >> Ross
> >> Sent: 03 October 2015 09:21
> >> To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
> >> <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
> >> Subject: Re: Writing SCSI 9-Track Mag Tapes from Windows/DOS
> >>
> >> Question: will this kind of hookup work with a USB-SCSI converter? If
> >> so, are there any specific brands and models known to work? I'm
> >> interested in both SE & differential, 50 pin & 68 pin.
> >>
> >> Or does it need a traditional Adaptec or similar card?
> >>
> >> Preferably under Linux; Windows possible but deprecated.
> >>
> >> Mike
> >>
> >> On Sat, Oct 3, 2015 at 7:52 PM, John Wilson <wilson at dbit.com> wrote:
> >> > On Fri, Oct 02, 2015 at 11:28:49PM -0700, Marc Verdiell wrote:
> >> >>Thanks for your STP2T02.exe  SCSI tape to SIMH program. Ran like a
> >> >>champ under Win98 DOS, first time. It's the only utility that did
> >> >>work out of the box to read a tape from my SCSI-1 HP 88780 9-track
> >> >>into a SIMH file,  out of the 5 or so I tried.  Before I jump to
> >> >>Linux, which seems to be the more straightforward option, does
> >> >>anyone have the reverse tool to write a SIMH image file on a 9
> >> >>Track tape under Windows/DOS? None of the utilities I found using
> >> >>Windows Tape APIs could deal with my tape SCSI-1 early interface,
> >> >>they all expect some basic (SCSI-2?) functions that are not
> implemented.
> >> >
> >> > My "ST.EXE" program (available from
> >> > http://www.dbit.com/pub/ibmpc/util/
> >> > including source) runs on real DOS (not Windows) and can write from
> >> > an E11-format .TAP file (which SIMH uses a garbled version of, but
> >> > they're interchangeable for *even* record lengths which are 99% of
> >> > the
> >> > universe) to a real tape.  It works on my HP 88780, and my Qualstar
> >> > 1260S and even a DEC TZ30 or TK50Z-GA (which aren't quite full SCSI-1).
> >> Not picky at all.
> >> > "st wput foo.tap" should write your image out.  You need a DOS ASPI
> >> > driver for your SCSI card, and you'll need to use something like
> >> > "-f scsi5:" on the command line (or set the TAPE environment
> >> > variable) so ST will know which SCSI ID (etc.) to use.
> >> >
> >> > John Wilson
> >> > D Bit
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >>
> >> http://www.corestore.org
> >> 'No greater love hath a man than he lay down his life for his brother.
> >> Not for millions, not for glory, not for fame.
> >> For one person, in the dark, where no one will ever know or see.'
> >
> 
> 
> 
> --
> 
> http://www.corestore.org
> 'No greater love hath a man than he lay down his life for his brother.
> Not for millions, not for glory, not for fame.
> For one person, in the dark, where no one will ever know or see.'