Re: Help Needed: Tape Backup Save Set

From: AEF (spamsink2001_at_yahoo.com)
Date: 08/17/05 

Date: 16 Aug 2005 15:58:01 -0700

Wayne Sewell wrote:
> >From: "AEF" <spamsink2001@yahoo.com>
> >X-Newsgroups: comp.os.vms
> >Subject: Re: Help Needed: Tape Backup Save Set
> >Date: 10 Aug 2005 19:52:55 -0700
> >Organization: http://groups.google.com
> >Lines: 27
>
> >
> >Z wrote:
> >> William Webb wrote:
> >> > If you
> >> > MOUNT/FOREIGN tape_device tape_label
> >> > You can
> >> > BACKUP/LIST tape_device:*
> >>
> >> If you're going to use BACKUP, let VMS mount the tape for you.
> >
> >Uh, on a v5.4-1 system I had trouble using BACKUP to mount a tape. If I
> >put in a tape that was not the first save set volume it would screw up
> >with funny characters reported as the label. Using an explicit
> >MOUNT/FOR made everything work fine. Ever since then I tend to do an
> >explicit MOUNT first, except with standalone backup, of course!
> >
>
>
> This appears to be historical residue from the previous millenium. I was not
> able to reproduce this behavior on 7.3-2.
>
> In the following example, tape DLT038 is a continuation of a saveset

[example omitted]

> [...]

>
> Sure it got a warning message about not being at the beginning of the saveset,
> but it certainly had no problems finding the label or mounting the tape.

Another reason I like to MOUNT before I BACKUP is that I often have
very annoying and time-consuming problems with tape drives. Doing an
explicit MOUNT helps me determine just where the problem is. Waiting
for the load light to stop blinking before I issue any commands at all
also helps me determine what is causing a problem. If I just pop in a
blank tape and do a BACKUP ... /REWIND and there is trouble it is more
difficult to troubleshoot.

Additionally, anything that *might* cause trouble, like skipping MOUNT
when reading the 2nd tape volume, I prefer to avoid just in case it
causes a problem.

Additionally**2, as lazy as I sometimes can be, it never bothered me to
have to do a MOUNT/FOR before running BACKUP. Eventually, I did get
into the habit of skipping the explicit MOUNT, only to have to wander
yet again through tape-drive headache space.

Remember: I am the author of "I Lost It with the Tape Drive v1.0".

AEF

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