🚀 go-pugleaf

On 7 Jul 1998 12:22:02 -0400, jeffj@panix.com (Jeff Jonas) wrote:

>>On Mon, 06 Jul 98 11:06:36 GMT, David@longley.demon.co.uk
>	(David Longley) wrote:
>>>Are there drivers for QIC 6150, etc based tape drives using PC-02
>>>and PC-36 controllers? If so, where?
>
>In article <35a604ab.4297057@netbsd.haeb.demon.org>
>	haeb@pc60.demon.co.uk writes:
>>  Unless there is a pressing need to read old tapes I would suggest
>>that these units should be binned.
>
>I am distressed at how freely you suggest abandoning perfectly
>functional equipment.

  It rather depends on your point of view.  If I am trying to put
together a machine for a customer then just one day of my time messing
about searching for obscure drivers for antiques comes to more than
the cost of fitting a Zip drive.  If it was for me, I wouldn't have
such an item anyway.  My 6150 tape drive was SCSI - which makes life
so much simpler.

>  Unix and Linux never dropped their
>drivers for the older interfaces (QIC, even Solaris still had drivers
>for the SCSI to ESDI converters used to use the old disks on newer machines).
>The problem is the way most non-Unix backup systems inextricibly linked the
>device driver to the tape format whereas with Unix the device drivers is
>entirely separate from the program (well, except for specific IOCTLs).

   The problem was also that these units were popular in Unix boxes,
but *very* rare in ordinary PCs because of the cost.  Most people at
that time used a QIC-40 unit if they had a tape system at all.
   The only software to cover the bases well was Sytos.

>
>I have SCSI interfaced QIC drives, so PHYSICALLY reading old tapes is possible.

  Quite.  Best way really.

>The issues for folks like me are usually
>1) I am setting up PCs for friends and want to include a backup device.
>   I have the QIC-02 and -36 cards and drives on hand and could include them
>   for FREE if there were software for Windoze.

  I don't hate my friends that much that I'd want to lumber them with
such units!  <grin>  The problem of the small size of the tape,
coupled with their cost is, IMHO, enough for me to disregard such
units nowadays.

>2) try to read old tapes.  I can read the bits off the tape, but what of the
>   format that's usually backup program specific and never documented?

   This is merely a version of the current debate by archivists
everywhere.  

   Regards,
         Harry.