IBM usually supports writing to media 1-generation back but can read
2-back. My E06 read and write JA and JB.  The E07 drives will only read JA
but can write to JB and JC.

-------------
Zoltan Forray
TSM Software & Hardware Administrator
Virginia Commonwealth University
UCC/Office of Technology Services
zforray AT vcu DOT edu - 804-828-4807
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 On Feb 27, 2013 4:00 PM, "Allen S. Rout" <asr AT ufl DOT edu> wrote:

> Way back when, when I updated my 3592 drives, I seem to recall I was
> able to write the higher density format to the old tapes, once they went
> through a scratch cycle...  We just went through a long period in which
> space got ... easy. :)
>
> I'm contemplating updating from the E05s to the E07s now, and I want to
> double-check that this is the case at this transition, too.  Or am I
> insane and remembering incorrectly?
>
> Any war stories about drive hardware updates?
>
> - Allen S. Rout
>