On Tuesday 31 January 2006 09:22, uwe.kaufmann AT infoconsult DOT nu wrote:
>Dear Listers,
>
>I really hope that I'm not OT.
>
>While successfully using amanda on several machines I have a single
>server/tape drive, which refuses to switch of hardware compression.
>
>I read the threads several weeks ago in this list concerning
> compression but all my experiments failed (see below). Even some
> emails with Tandberg didn't show a solution (the support was really
> nice but no progress).
>
>I am using SuSE 9.1 with amanda-2.4.4p2-49.
>
>minerva:~ # dmesg | grep scsi
>scsi0 : Tekram DC395(U/UW/F), DC315(U) - ASIC TRM-S1040 v2.05,
> 2004/03/08 Attached scsi tape st0 at scsi0, channel 0, id 3, lun 0
>Attached scsi generic sg0 at scsi0, channel 0, id 3, lun 0, type 1
>
>
>This "Can't write mode page." below drives me crazy.
>
>
>minerva:~ # mt -f /dev/nst0 erase
>minerva:~ # mt -f /dev/nst0 rewind
>minerva:~ # mt -f /dev/nst0 datcompression
>Compression on.
>minerva:~ # mt -f /dev/nst0 rewind
>minerva:~ # mt -f /dev/nst0 datcompression 0
>Can't write mode page.
>minerva:~ # mt -f /dev/nst0 datcompression off
>Can't write mode page.
>minerva:~ # mt -f /dev/nst0 datcompression 1
>Compression on.
>minerva:~ # mt -f /dev/nst0 status
>drive type = Generic SCSI-2 tape
>drive status = 838861312
>sense key error = 0
>residue count = 0
>file number = 0
>block number = 0
>Tape block size 512 bytes. Density code 0x32 (unknown).
>Soft error count since last status=0
>General status bits on (41010000):
> BOT ONLINE IM_REP_EN
>
>
>Is there anybody out there who encountered and solved this issue?
Not this particular version. But it comes to mind that maybe there is a
switch or jumper configuration option on the drive that either locks it
on, or locks the config page in the flash from being changed from the
factory approved defaults. Some sort of insurance against Joe SixPack
turning their inventory into a brick to be warrantied.
Since Tandberg is more than likely a VAR, (probably reselling Sony's
drives) they may think they are covering their collective butts with
such an attitude, but I think I'd make it very plain that if this issue
cannot be resolved, then you are going to expect a refund so that you
can go buy a suitable drive from some other VAR thats more
co-operative.
That said, if you and Tandberg do come to an agreement, bear in mind
that any of the tapes thats been in that drive have probably got that
bit set in the tapes hidden header, and even if you turn it off, when
amanda reaches for a new tape, the ejection of the old tape and the
insertion of the new one will cause that header to be read and the
compression turned back on, with no way to unlock it from amanda's grip
and turn it back off before amanda writes to it again.
Because of this, one must read (dd to the rescue) that label block out
to a scratch file, rewind the tape, turn the compression and the
datcompression off, and before the tape is moved again, write that
scratch file back to the tape with dd again, using the non-rewinding
tape device so the tape isn't rewound and re-read, followed by several
megabytes of /dev/zero (dd if=/dev/zero) to force the drive to flush
its buffers to the media, at which point that compression flag in the
header will finally be turned off. Whatever is on the tape will be
toast of course, so do this immediately before the tape is to be
re-used. Once you cycled through all the tapes, things should be fine
till the drive (or a tape) is ~30~, fini, worn out, kaput.
Thats the best idea I can come up with, the thought triggered by your
relating that Tandberg has not been helpfull. Do you purchance have
access to the factory setup manuals that list all the dipswitch and
option jumper settings? A reluctance to supply those at any price
would also spook me more than a little about doing further business
with that particular dealer.
>Thank you very much and best regards
>Uwe
>
>
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--
Cheers, Gene
People having trouble with vz bouncing email to me should add the word
'online' between the 'verizon', and the dot which bypasses vz's
stupid bounce rules. I do use spamassassin too. :-)
Yahoo.com and AOL/TW attorneys please note, additions to the above
message by Gene Heskett are:
Copyright 2006 by Maurice Eugene Heskett, all rights reserved.
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