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Xref: sserve comp.os.386bsd.misc:5233 comp.os.386bsd.questions:16462 Newsgroups: comp.os.386bsd.misc,comp.os.386bsd.questions Path: sserve!newshost.anu.edu.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!msunews!uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!news.sprintlink.net!pipex!peernews.demon.co.uk!demon!pencotts.demon.co.uk!arg From: arg@pencotts.demon.co.uk Subject: Re: FreeBSD 2.0R: tape format available in a snapshot? Message-ID: <D3JJHy.4B0@pencotts.demon.co.uk> Organization: NET-TEL Computer Systems Ltd References: <3gqpb2$1g6@clarknet.clark.net> <D3Ho1p.ArC@indirect.com> Date: Sun, 5 Feb 1995 19:01:09 GMT Lines: 25 In article <D3Ho1p.ArC@indirect.com>, Barnacle Wes <wes@indirect.com> wrote: > >Have you considered just buying pre-formatted tapes? That would take >care of the problem and save you time both. In volume, they're typically >only 50 cents to a dollar more, well worth it in my book. ;^) > > Wes Peters But not in my book. You need freshly-formatted tapes each time if you have drives that write more than one density - if you re-write a 6150 tape in a 6525-capable drive, it won't read in a conventional 6150 drive unless it was freshly formatted before writing. This is the same game as 360K vs 1.2M floppies - the higher density drive writes narrower tracks and won't completely overwrite tracks written on a lower density drive. Of course, if you can afford to use tapes only once, no problem - though even this is cheaper than driving home again to write another tape having travelled 50 miles with one that won't read..... Once I have persuaded my supplier to deliver the tape drive I have ordered, I will be investigating the availability of a format command in FreeBSD and if necessary writing one myself [as I have had to do on my previous two operating systems!]. andrew.gordon@net-tel.co.uk