problems with /dev/nst0

[Derek Shaw]

I have OBSD 3.9 functioning beautifully, except...

I am trying to use gtar or pax or ustar with /dev/nst0.  When I do, they
report errors.  gtar is the most informative.  It reports an IO error.
(and I don't think it's the Idiot Operator in this case)

The same thing happens when I use /dev/st0

When I use /dev/rst0, everything works as it is supposed to, except that
the tape rewinds, which makes it much more difficult to put more than
one archive on the tape.

Looking at the files in /dev shows that st?, rst? and nst? are all
identical in terms of permissions, etc.

Any clues as to what it is going on, or how to troubleshoot further
would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!
d.

======== appendices =======
here is the command that does work (except that I need it not to rewind)
$ gtar -c -v -f /dev/rst0 /data/home/bisi/Maildir/

here is the command that doesn't work
$ gtar -c -v -f /dev/nst0 /data/home/bisi/Maildir/

here is the output from the failed gtar command:
gtar: Removing leading `/' from member names
/data/home/bisi/Maildir/
/data/home/bisi/Maildir/tmp/
/data/home/bisi/Maildir/new/
/data/home/bisi/Maildir/cur/
/data/home/bisi/Maildir/cur/1150344764.M141735P6783V00000006I00252681_1.imap2.kibro.com,S=1829:2,S
/data/home/bisi/Maildir/cur/1150345494.M104459P362V00000006I002526C2_1.imap2.kibro.com,S=2571:2,S
/data/home/bisi/Maildir/sqwebmail-timestamp
/data/home/bisi/Maildir/.Drafts/
/data/home/bisi/Maildir/.Drafts/tmp/
gtar: /dev/nst0: Cannot write: Input/output error
gtar: Error is not recoverable: exiting now

If we examine the archive on the tape (using /dev/rst0), this is what we
get:
$ gtar -tvf /dev/rst0
drwx------ bisi/bisi         0 2006-06-14 21:25:24 data/home/bisi/Maildir/
drwx------ bisi/bisi         0 2006-06-14 21:25:24
data/home/bisi/Maildir/tmp/
drwx------ bisi/bisi         0 2006-06-14 21:24:58
data/home/bisi/Maildir/new/
drwx------ bisi/bisi         0 2006-06-14 21:25:06
data/home/bisi/Maildir/cur/
-rw------- bisi/bisi      1829 2006-06-14 21:12:44
data/home/bisi/Maildir/cur/1150344764.M141735P6783V00000006I00252681_1.imap2.kibro.com,S=1829:2,S
-rw------- bisi/bisi      2571 2006-06-14 21:24:54
data/home/bisi/Maildir/cur/1150345494.M104459P362V00000006I002526C2_1.imap2.kibro.com,S=2571:2,S
-rw------- bisi/bisi         1 2006-06-14 21:25:24
data/home/bisi/Maildir/sqwebmail-timestamp
drwx------ bisi/bisi         0 2006-06-14 21:21:49
data/home/bisi/Maildir/.Drafts/
drwx------ bisi/bisi         0 2006-06-14 21:24:54
data/home/bisi/Maildir/.Drafts/tmp/

If we do the same using /dev/nst0, here's the result:
$ gtar -tvf /dev/nst0
gtar: /dev/nst0: Cannot read: Input/output error
gtar: At beginning of tape, quitting now
gtar: Error is not recoverable: exiting now

--
Derek Shaw
BIS Business Information Systems Inc.
Victoria, BC.
voice: 250-885-2021   fax: 250-386-4060
GnuPG Public Key ID: 0x5553C338

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