From: sgf@acsu.buffalo.edu (Steven G. Feuerstein)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.xenix.sco,com.unix.sysv386,comp.unix.sysv286,biz.sco.general
Subject: CMS tape problem summary (long)
Date: 10 Apr 92 15:47:10 GMT
Organization: UB

Summary of Responses to:

>
>I have a problem with my Colorado Memory System Tape Backup Unit.  I would 
>like to know if other people are having similar problems and their solution.
>
>My Hardware:
>
>I have 2 33Mhz 386 machines running SCO Xenix 2.3.3.  Each machine has 4MB of 
>RAM and an IDE hard drive controller.  One machine has a 200 MB hard drive and
>the other has a 200MB and 130MB hard drive. 
>
>The Problem:
>
>When backing up the system, which contains large database files (>30MB) in 
>compressed mode using JTAPE, the computer freezes 95% of the time.  To restart
>the computer, it must be turned off and then on again.  
>
>I have tried connecting the tape drive directly to the floppy controller, using
>CMS's regular tape board, and their board with hardware compression.
>
>After many calls to CMS's technical support I am unable to resolve this 
>problem.
>
>HAS ANYBODY HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM AND/OR HAS A SOLUTION.
>
>
>Please e-mail response to me and I  will post a summary.
>>
>
>
>Thanks,  
>
>
>
>Steve Feuerstein
>acsu.buffalo.edu!sgf
>

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have sent a copy of this summary to CMS.  They are setting up a test system 
at their office and will try to resolve the problem.  I will post the results.

I AM STILL INTERESTED IN HEARING FROM YOU IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM BACKING UP 
FILES USING JTAPE IN COMPRESSED MODE AND HAVE NOT RESPONDED TO MY POSTING.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Re: Colorado Memory System tape backup problem with xenix 2.3.3

>I have a problem with my Colorado Memory System Tape Backup Unit.  I would 
>like to know if other people are having similar problems and their solution.

>When backing up the system, which contains large database files (>30MB) in 
>compressed mode using JTAPE, the computer freezes 95% of the time.  To restart
>the computer, it must be turned off and then on again.  

>After many calls to CMS's technical support I am unable to resolve this 
>problem.

>HAS ANYBODY HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM AND/OR HAS A SOLUTION.

I have the same problem and a similar lack of solutions from CMS.
I've  been  skipping  the  compressed  mode and buying 60Mb tapes
instead. I've a 486/25 with XENIX 2.3.4, the  DJ-10  tape  drive,
AB-10 controller, and JTAPE version 2.08.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Re: Colorado Memory System tape backup problem with xenix 2.3.3
To: sgf@acsu.buffalo.edu (Steven G. Feuerstein)
Date: Sat, 21 Mar 92 11:21:31 EST

I'm very familiar with the problem and the only solution that I could give
you is that the JTAPE program sucks, and my tape drive works fine when I 
use the xenix tar commands. (not a great solution but CMS did not help me
either.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

To: sgf@acsu.buffalo.edu
Subject: Re: Colorado Memory System tape backup problem with xenix 2.3.3
Date: 22 Mar 92 14:46:11 EST (Sun)

In comp.unix.xenix.sco you write:

>HAS ANYBODY HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM AND/OR HAS A SOLUTION.


Yup... I've had the problem... still do at times...  Here's what I did to
help...

First, use a _low_ blocking factor (try 10).  Secondly, try a different 
backup program (JTAPE is OK, but has few options).  Try either BRU or
CTAR (both work with the /dev/rjt0 device).  I use ctar.  ctar allows you
to specify what you want compressed (I've found that the compression
causes problems for some reason).  I don't compress executables, and only
compress data files that are larger than 25K.  And _DEFINITELY_ use a
seperate controller board... running off the floppy controller is no
good..

When doing all of the above, my backups run _almost_ flawlessly.  I guess the
old adage is proven true again in this instance:  You get what you pay for.

I can't knock the thing too much, though.... I've had three major system
crashes, as well as one accidental partition screw-up. In all instances, 
I was able to completely restore.

Good luck!  If you get any definitive answers to the problem, I would 
appreciate hearing about it...


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

To: sgf@acsu.buffalo.edu
Subject: Colorado Memory Systems Tape Drive

From CMS:

I am sorry to hear that you are having problems with
our CMS tape drive.  Your news posting was picked up 
by our customer support department and they would
like to offer you whatever assistance they can.  I was 
asked by one of our support engineers to forward a 
contact name and phone number to you to help you 
resolve your problems.  This person is one of our UNIX 
support engineers and should be able to assist you.

Please contact:

Matt Badger
1-800-845-7908

If you are unable to contact Matt, please be sure to ask
for a UNIX support engineer.  Please do not respond by
e-mail as our support department does not yet have 
e-mail access to the Internet.


I hope this helps you with your tape problems.

Kevin Kester
Software Development Engineer
Colorado Memory Systems
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Wed, 25 Mar 92 04:16:52+020
To: sgf@acsu.buffalo.edu
Subject: CMS drives.

I have never run into problems with the CMS drives. I have them connected
to a few Xenix machines (2.3.?) and I'm quite happy with them.

The only thing is that I don't use the compression option (BTW, it's in the
driver, not the hardware). I whipped up a small tar like program that does
compression on the fly for me and I'm quite satisfied with the results. If
you'd like, I can mail you a copy.

Let me know,

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

To: sgf@acsu.buffalo.edu
Subject: cbu - compressing backup prog.

Following is the cbu program. uudecode it to get the executable.

Just type 'cbu' to see the various flags. Keep in mind that cbu detects
end of tape on input/output by itself - it doesn't use /etc/default.
This means that media error is interpreted as EOF.

Full support for multi-volume backup restore.

The format is NOT tar compatible.

uuencoded file deleted

--- SNIP --- SNIP --- SNIP --- SNIP --- SNIP --- SNIP ---

This program has been in use by quite a few of our customers for the
last two years - no complaints yet. Hope it helps.

I'll be in Europe for the next couple of weeks - so if you mail me and
get no reply just be patient.

Have fun. Let me know if it works OK for you.


[ Note: Had a problem uudecoding corrupt file and am waiting for another ]
[       copy of the program.						 ]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

To: sgf@acsu.buffalo.edu (Steven G. Feuerstein)
Subject: Re: Colorado Memory System tape backup problem with xenix 2.3.3

I have a problem which seems a bit different, but the symptom is the same.
I run netnews on the system and therefore have a TON of tiny files.  If I
try to run a backup starting from '/', the JTAPE software chugs away reading
the directories for a LONG time, then blows up.  Sometimes, it actually
aborts, but usually it hangs big time.  I then get to do a hard reset and
suffer the extra-long reboot while Xenix checks the disk.

I talked with Colorado Memory, and we decided that it is running out of
memory, and that it isn't checking for this very well.  You may well have the
same problem.  I sure hope they put error checking in the next version.

As a workaround, I have been backing up specific directories.  I keep meaning
to make a TAG file which excludes /usr/spool/news, but I never seem to get
around to it.

I haven't tried the low level drivers using TAR or CPIO - have you?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Steve Feuerstein
acsu.buffalo.edu!sgf
Newsgroups: comp.unix.xenix.sco