Retrieving Data From The 8mm Tape Drive

  1. Submit command: 'mt status' at the shell prompt of your pyramid window. This command allows you to assess if the tape is at the Beginning of Tape or BOT. If the tape does not specify BOT, type 'mt rewind' at the prompt to rewind the tape to the beginning.
  2. Be sure to navigate to the directory in which you want the data to be retrieved to before running your retrieval script.
  3. Once you are in the proper directory, use the 'CAT' command to view the script (.sh) file size: Ex. 'cat (file.sh) | wc -l'
  4. Calculate the number of files that are to be extracted off of the 8mm tape for that specific directory and multiply that number 2x to account for the files and the breaks between each of the files.
  5. To create a new script, use the 'head' command to make the script shorter or longer according to the number of files that need to be retrieved: Ex. 'head -(number of files and breaks) (file.sh) > (output file.sh)
  6. Once this script has been created, run the script in the desired directory to retrieve the files. Submit the command 'sh (output file.sh).

Useful Commands

  1. MT STATUS : This command allows the user to assess the status of where the tape is mounted. This command is used to assure that the driver is ready and the tape is rewound all the way.
  2. MT FSF 1 : This command jumps past the EOF markers which seperate the files on the Tape Drive.
  3. MT BSF 1 : This command backs the tape up one EOF marker or file when it is necessary.
  4. TAR XVF : This command retrieves file in one large group.
  5. RSH : This command represents a 'remote shell' "rsh "




Last Update: Tuesday, 17-Jun-2003 11:16:17 EDT
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