Conference stkhlm::magtape

3668.0. "MDDS master tape to long (TK50)" by VIVIAN::D_BONO () Fri Feb 21 1997 18:58

    
    Calling all TK50 tape guru's.
    
    I am trying to produce a master tape for MDDS distribution to make 50
    copies. The problem we are having is that the master data that we are 
    using is a backup saveset that runs into two tapes. If we backup this 
    data to two tapes and send them to Galway (MDDS people) to copy, they 
    have problems with the data not fitting onto the output tapes in the
    tape duplication machine. I guess this is due to the master tape 
    possibly being fractionally longer than the output tapes, and hence 
    holding more data or less media defects on the master.
    
    I beleive a TK50 holds 80,000 blocks however standard MDDS distribution
    puts only 60,000 blocks of data on a master to prevent the tape overflow
    problem.
    
    So does anyone know of a way to get this savetset onto two tapes with
    the first volume around 60,000 blocks only.
    
    The backup saveset is a standard OpenVMS backup.
    
    Can you get shorter CompacTape's ?
    I have tried creating one by putting a new EOT marker (punched a new 
    hole further from the end of the tape) however the backup falls over 
    when it reaches the hole, the drive red light starts flashing and I 
    get a "HARDWARE ERROR, NO INDEX/SECTOR SIGNAL" error in the errorlog.
    
    Any ideas welcome for this strange request.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Dave Bono (MCS London)
    

    Save Set Manager I think does the trick for you. See
    SSAG::SAVE_SET_MANAGER.
    
    Guenther

    
    I've looked into saveset manager and indeed it would be OK if we were
    using it to do the copies. However MDDS use a tape duplication machine
    which copies block for block.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Dave.