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From: dietz@cyrix.com (Carl Dietz)
Message-Id: <9512052034.AA13351@max.cyrix.com>
Subject: Re: ft (QIC 40/80)
To: terry@lambert.org (Terry Lambert)
Date: Tue, 5 Dec 95 14:34:14 CST
Cc: hackers@FreeBSD.org
In-Reply-To: <199512051948.MAA02289@phaeton.artisoft.com>; from "Terry Lambert" at Dec 5, 95 12:48 pm
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Terry Lambert writes:
> 
> > I guess this explains the troubles I've been having with my new floppy tape
> > drive I bought this last week.  It wouldn't work with tar, dd, or mt.  I was
> > beginning to think that something was wrong with the tape drive, 'cause the
> > FreeBSD docs say that the floppy tape is supported.  FreeBSD was recognizing
> > it at boot-up, but wouldn't do anything else with it.
> > 
> > I only bought the thing because FreeBSD said it supported it, and I can't
> > afford to buy the SCSI DAT drive that I'd really love to have (pipe dream :-) ).
> 
> You have to use the ft filter between your program and the floppy tape
> device.
> 
> > But the FreeBSD documentation never said that it wasn't fully supported like
> > the SCSI tape drives are.
> 
> It's *impossible* to fully support the things without heavy kernel
> hacking on timer code and allowing kernel preemption (or buzz-looping).
> 
> The NEC floppy controller chips used in most PC's doesn't have a FIFO,
> so it takes realtime features (or like DOS, running *only* the special
> backup software and no other programs) to support the things.
> 

Sorry, I forgot about the fact that a NEC765 ain't that smart (and the sad  
thing is that I **KNEW** that back in my college days).

> > How exactly is the QIC 80 120MB floppy tape drive supported under FreeBSD ?
> 
> With a filter.
> 
> > Since tar, dd, and mt don't work, what do I use to read/write from/to the 
> > drive ?
> 
> man ft
> 
> > Or should I just flush my new tape drive down the toilet ?
> 
> New !== Good.  You *can* use it, however, as long as you follow the rules
> and use the ft filter.
> 

Thank you so much for the quick reply!

I must confess (with shame :-) ) that doing a 'man ft' never occurred to me.
(I MUST be getting old...)

I realize that the QIC 80 120MB is cheapo tape drive, but for only $30,
I just couldn't turn it down.  With FreeBSD distributed on CDRoms, I only 
really need to back up my 200MB /home partition, so I couldn't justify buying
a better tape drive now (especially with all the Christmas shopping.)

Besides, right now I'm saving my money for a Quantum fireball to replace my
aging full height WREN 660MB hard disk...

Thanks again,

Carl

 ---------------------------------------------------------------
|  Carl Dietz                                 M3 Cache Designer |
|  dietz@cyrix.com                              (214) 968-8249  |
 ---------------------------------------------------------------
| SULU:	"As advanced as you obviously are, you still play ?"    |
| KIRK:	"Yes, Mr. Sulu, play.  The more complex the mind, the   |
|        greater the need for the simplicity of play."          |
|                    STTOS:"Shore Leave"                        |
 ---------------------------------------------------------------