invalid argument

David Bear David.Bear at asu.edu
Tue Jul 22 16:37:00 PDT 2003


while writing to a tape device using tar I get an error message:

using 'tar czvf /dev/nsa0 /var/log/'

ppsrv3# tar (child): can't write to /dev/nsa0 : Invalid argument

My assumptions were
1) the dev/[n]sa0 device was the first scsi tape unit
2) that n meant non-rewinding
3) that I could write one tarball to the tape, then another, in
succession.  Then each tarball would reside on the tape, one after the
other, and that I could untar them in succession as well.

So, what would be the cause of the "invalid arg" messeage above?

when attemptint to read the above tar file, with

tar tzvf /dev/nsa0

tar happily lists all files in the archive, but ends with:

gzip: stdin: unexpected end of file
tar: Unexpected EOF on archive file


I'm wondering if I have a blocking factor problem?  This is a DAT/dds4
tape unit.

Any advice would be appreciated.
-- 
David Bear
phone: 	480-965-8257
fax: 	480-965-9189
College of Public Programs/ASU
Wilson Hall 232
Tempe, AZ 85287-0803
 "Beware the IP portfolio, everyone will be suspect of trespassing"


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