Old tape data retrieval

[Kevin Parker]

(Just reposting this as it did not appear to appear on the list - there 
was about a two week period when I didn't see any CCMP emails for some 
reason - apologies if it has already appeared for others).

I apologize if this is OT but I'm hoping someone on the list can help me 
fill a gap in my knowledge.

Quick back story - in 1995 my wife and I published a book on her family 
history. For anyone interested in genealogy, details are here 
https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2416803

I think we may have done the whole job end-to-end on a 486 before 
sending a file to the book printers (we published 500 copies) but my 
memory is vague on that point.

Of course the last job I did on the book I backed up the whole thing 
(database files, image files, record and document scans etc) to a DC2120 
tape. I've even found the tape:

http://koken.advancedimaging.com.au/index.php?/albums/interesting-finds/content/20200202-160623/

The wife says that its time for an update to the book so that means drop 
all other projects and see if you can get it back off the tape (with an 
implied now).

I know that I used a software app called ResQ120 to run the tape drive. 
I can't find it (or any info) on-line other than the software came from 
Alloy but I suspect I have it here somewhere on a floppy disk so its 
only matter of time before I find that assuming the disk is still 
readable. Of course over time I have acquired other tape drives from 
various salvage/rescue sources but I believe this is the one I used:

http://koken.advancedimaging.com.au/index.php?/albums/interesting-finds/content/20200202-160540/

What I'm missing is this - I recall that despite the PC having a floppy 
controller I added a separate floppy (or similar or other) controller 
(card) for the tape drive (it might have even run on the same interrupt 
- I can't remember). As with most stuff, being a prolific rescuer I have 
acquired many ISA based cards over the years that appear to be floppy 
controllers but I have no idea what I'm looking for to run this tape 
drive.

Any clues, info etc would greatly appreciated because I don't want to 
have to tell her that it can't be done and you wouldn't want to be 
around if she had to hear that :-)

Thank you!!


Kevin Parker