Ejecting tape on AIX & Some Tape commands


 
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Operating Systems AIX Ejecting tape on AIX & Some Tape commands
# 1  
Old 06-01-2012
[Solved] Ejecting tape on AIX & Some Tape commands

I am trying to use this command to eject the tape
Code:
mt -f /dev/rmt/0 unload

but it gives me error
Code:
 mt -f /dev/rmt/0 unload
mt: 0511-575 unload is not a recognized subcommand.
Usage:  mt [-f Device] Subcommand [Count]
        Valid subcommands are:
        weof
        eof
        fsf
        bsf
        fsr
        bsr
        rewind
        offline
        rewoffl
        status

or
Code:
tctl -f /dev/rmt0 offline
/dev/rmt0: The device is not ready for operation.

But the tape is inside the drive !

some other tape commands

Getting information about the tape. It is using compression and a variable length block size


Code:
tctl -f /dev/rmt0 status

Rewinding tape drive
Code:
tctl -f /dev/rmt0 rewind

Rewind and eject the rmt0 tape drive
Code:
# tctl -f /dev/rmt0 offline


Check the content of the tape
Code:
#tctl -f /dev/rmt0.1 -b 1024 -n read

Reading tape and redirecting output to a file. In this case, the operating system showed that the tape itself is damaged.
Code:
tctl -f /dev/rmt0 read > /tmp/testtape

Getting info about the tape
Code:
lscfg -vpl rmt0

# 2  
Old 06-03-2012
did you try to press the eject button? :-))
# 3  
Old 06-04-2012
Quote:
Originally Posted by filosophizer
Code:
#tctl -f /dev/rmt0.1 -b 1024 -n read

Reading tape and redirecting output to a file. In this case, the operating system showed that the tape itself is damaged.
This doesn't need to be the case. If the tape was written with another blocksize (default blocksize depend on hardware, so we do not know what yours is) then trying to read will result in a "tape damaged" - in fact it is, in a way, because it was formatted differently.

I hope this helps.

bakunin
# 4  
Old 06-11-2012
Can it be that the tapes was still working on a previous job. Sometimes it helps to wait some minutes before you issue the next tape command.

Also check if there's not another process holding the tape.
# 5  
Old 06-11-2012
The potential for drive/media failure must be considered too.


Robin
# 6  
Old 07-29-2012
apparently the problem was something related to mechanical motion of the tape.

When the command to eject the tape was issued or button pressed to eject the tape , the tape after few minutes will eject itself but due to some mechanical motion problem it would not come out but again go back inside the drive and it will rewind.

It took some time to figure out this problem.

thanks everyone who took part in this thread

Moderator's Comments:
Mod Comment edit by bakunin: thanks for the follow-up. I changed the threads title to [Solved] accordingly.

Last edited by bakunin; 07-30-2012 at 01:28 AM..
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