The RSTS riddle.

[Al Kossow]

On 5/21/16 12:28 PM, Rod Smallwood wrote:

>   Third Point
>     There's no way to copy an image only files under any DEC operating system.
> 
>   Fourth Point
>  
>          If I had a RSTS system how would I make a backup copy of the install tape?
> 

you would use TPC, and you can convert between TAP and TPC

dealing with tape images is easier in the unix world
https://www.brouhaha.com/~eric/software/tapeutils/


from the "SIMH tape images to real tapes" thread on the simh mailing list
http://mailman.trailing-edge.com/pipermail/simh/

>
> Googling around only seems to want to show me how to copy real tapes
> to images.  I need to copy a SIMH tape image to a real tape!
>
> I seem to recall SIMH including a utility for this...but I could be
> mistaken.
>
> I will need a utility that will run on VMS (VAX) as I need to use a
> TK50 to make a TK50. (Unless someone wants to doante a TK70.  )
>

I use vtapeutils to convert from the 4 byte record header format that
Simh uses to a 2 byte record header format:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/vtapeutils/

Then I use VMSTPC to copy this to a real tape:

http://decuslib.com/decus/vax86d/bnelson/vmstpc/