RE: stock kernel 2.6.6 ftape driver, debian ftape-util 1:1.09.2000, old colorado jumbo 250(350), - no device or adress -

 It's been a while since I set up an ftape box but here's a few things to
check:

Make sure that ftape is configured in the kernel to load as a kernel module
and not compiled into the kernel.

When you compile ftape, make sure you edit the MCONFIG file with the right
data (IRQ, DMA, etc) for your mobo floppy controller.  This is important.
If you don't know, try the defaults but it may not work in which case you
will need to find out EXCATLY what they are for it to work.

After that, there isn't a lot to it.  If you get errors, you will need to
post a copy of the stdout to be able to get help that is of any value.

Cheers.

DF

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Thomas Schorpp
Sent: Monday, August 30, 2004 3:04 PM
To: D. Thomas Podnar
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Re: stock kernel 2.6.6 ftape driver, debian ftape-util 1:1.09.2000,
old colorado jumbo 250(350), - no device or adress -

Hello Sir,

D. Thomas Podnar wrote:

> Skipping the technical issues, you should probably make your father 
> aware that jumbo 250 tapes can only be read by what are now long 
> discontinued devices.

im aware, but did you ever try to break an old fathers will?
he has build machinery with MTBF over 50 years, he cant accept that and hes
right ;) btw, its qic-80 and there many devices (ill get for no cost since
theres no market for them anymore) on the used market around and a floppy
controller will be as long as the ibm-pc standard. you cant tell that about
scsi,isa,ide,pci,usb,iee1394, etc, always ONLY high performant interfaces
need to be developed and changed in future, so no market need to change the
old floppy interface (seen the failure of laser-servo floppies).

> 
> The odds of any computer being able to actually connect to something 
> that runs off the floppy port, let alone have the right drivers be 
> able to read the tape contents, are going to be very low indeed even five
years from now.
> Ten years from now, even worse.

as everything in the quick consumer toys data backup market, how many years
do your professional solutions guarantee? same 100 years of best quality
legacy chemical processed photo or some printing i found in our city
archive? will read your contract regulations... ;) a still unsolved problem
with electronic media, so the paradoxon computers are build for fast
processing not longtime storage.

> 
> He may end up with perfectly preserved media, and no chance to extract 
> the contents.

see above, but thank you very much.

now, someone up to help me with the ftape or not?

y
tom

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