[CLUE-Tech] How to make Linux recognize IDE tape drive?

[David Guntner]

Chris Mills grabbed a keyboard and wrote:
> 
> I can't say I know Mandrake, but if I recall
> correctly, RedHat doesn't build the IDE Tape device
> into the kernel. Try a 'modprobe ide-tape' and see
> whether you get anywhere...

I did that, and got no reply (just got another shell prompt).  Checking my 
syslog, however, I saw this:

Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Dumping ATAPI Identify Device tape 
parameters
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Protocol Type: <6>ATAPI
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Device Type: 1 - <6>Streaming Tape 
Device
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Removable: Yes
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Command Packet DRQ Type: 
<6>Accelerated DRQ
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Command Packet Size: <6>12 bytes
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Model: Seagate STT8000A
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Firmware Revision: 5.44
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Serial Number: 
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Write buffer size: 372736 bytes
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: DMA: Yes
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: LBA: Yes
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: IORDY can be disabled: Yes
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: IORDY supported: Yes
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: ATAPI overlap supported: No
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: PIO Cycle Timing Category: 2
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: DMA Cycle Timing Category: 2
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Single Word DMA supported modes: 
<6>0 <6>1 <6>2 <6>
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Multi Word DMA supported modes: 
<6>0 <6>1 <6>2 <6>
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Enhanced PIO Modes: Mode 3
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Minimum Multi-word DMA cycle per 
word: <6>120 ns
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Manufacturer's Recommended Multi-
word cycle: <6>120 ns
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Minimum PIO cycle without IORDY: 
<6>120 ns
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Minimum PIO cycle with IORDY: 
<6>120 ns
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: hdd <-> ht0: Seagate STT8000A rev 
5.44
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Dumping the results of the MODE 
SENSE packet command
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Mode Parameter Header:
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Mode Data Length - 23
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Medium Type - 182
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Device Specific Parameter - 16
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Block Descriptor Length - 0
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Capabilities and Mechanical Status 
Page:
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Page code - 42
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Page length - 18
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Read only - No
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Supports reverse space - Yes
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Supports erase initiated formatting 
- No
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Supports QFA two Partition format - 
Yes
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Supports locking the medium - No
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: The volume is currently locked - No
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: The device defaults in the prevent 
state - No
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Supports ejecting the medium - No
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Supports error correction - Yes
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Supports data compression - No
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Supports 512 bytes block size - Yes
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Supports 1024 bytes block size - No
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Supports 32768 bytes block size / 
Restricted byte count for PIO transfers - No
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Maximum supported speed in KBps - 
600
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Continuous transfer limits in 
blocks - 52
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Current speed in KBps - 600
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Buffer size - 372736
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: Adjusted block size - 512
Oct 14 03:55:33 janet kernel: ide-tape: hdd <-> ht0: 600KBps, 14*26kB 
buffer, 5850kB pipeline, 80ms tDSC, DMA

I take it that this is a *good* sign? :-)

That last line says something about hdd <-> ht0.  However, doing a 
"ls -la /dev/hdd" or "ls -la /dev/ht0" still gets a "file not found" 
message.  Any clues on what the next step should be so that I can actually 
*access* the drive?

                   --Dave

> Chris
> --- David Guntner <davidg at akamail.com> wrote:
> > Hello,
> > 
> > I'm hoping that someone here can help me with this.
> > 
> > I'm running Mandrake Linux 9.0 (kernel 2.4.19), and
> > have installed an old 
> > Seagate TR-4 IDE tape drive in the slave position
> > (CD-ROM is in the master 
> > position on the cable) on the second IDE controller.
> > 
> > Mandrake has a hardware detector utility, which
> > tells me that it see the 
> > tape drive on /dev/hdd.  Unfortunately, doing a "ls
> > -la /dev/hdd" results 
> > in a "file not found" error....
> > 
> > I'd like to be able to use this tape drive to do
> > backups of my system.  
> > Does anyone have any ideas on how to get my system
> > to recognize that I have 
> > a tape drive, from a practical standpoint (I.E., so
> > that backup software 
> > can use it)?
> > 
> > Any help would be appreciated!
> > 
> >                 --Dave
-- 
      David Guntner      GEnie: Just say NO!
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