🚀 go-pugleaf

We utilize a Unisys U6000-75 (a less sinister looking OEM of Sequent Symmetry)
for our Informix Online applications. (no I'm not looking for sympathy :-)

One of the adjunct functions this machine must support is unloading 9 Track
tapes received from sundry IBM shops and loading the resulting muck into the
database. Herein lies the problem:

Upon encountering a read error <<IRONY ON>> which so seldom happens, 
<<IRONY OFF>> dd exits with a 'read error'  (still acceptable behavior)
BUT the tape drive continues to crank along reading the tape, and no 
combination of button pushing and feverish prayer can make it return
more than "device busy"  UNTIL I REBOOT THE MACHINE.

Even running dd with a 'noerror' option buys very little here.

We are running the Unisys flavor of PTX 1.2  (4 processors, lots of memory
etc) and the tape drive is a Unisys/Kennedy which is attached to the mbus.
Tech support (Unisys) recommends fuser/kill to wipe out processes using the
device.. BUT by the time this hits there are no processes using the device.
(close the barn door... the horses have run off!)

Questions:

What do real Sequent shops use for 9 Track?  How is it interfaced (SCSI? :-)
Does it go braindead?  

Is there a general rule/observance on mbus drivers losing their minds?

Any suggestions for unwedging such a beast short of a reboot?

- Jon McCown (717)783-3256








-- 
            J.D. McCown - Computer Services - Senate of Pennsylvania  
psuvax1!eds1!jdm1  "You don't want to get locked into  "Whaddaya want with yer' 
jdm1@eds1.eds.com   'open systems'." -anonymous IBM Rep.   jugged fish?" -MPFS