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Date:      06 Mar 2002 15:38:00 -0800
From:      "Gary W. Swearingen" <swear@blarg.net>
To:        FreeBSD-gnats-submit@freebsd.org
Subject:   docs/35609: mt(1) page needs explanation of "long erase".
Message-ID:  <e1bse1fesn.se1@localhost.localdomain>

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>Number:         35609
>Category:       docs
>Synopsis:       mt(1) page needs explanation of "long erase".
>Confidential:   no
>Severity:       non-critical
>Priority:       low
>Responsible:    freebsd-doc
>State:          open
>Quarter:        
>Keywords:       
>Date-Required:
>Class:          change-request
>Submitter-Id:   current-users
>Arrival-Date:   Wed Mar 06 15:40:01 PST 2002
>Closed-Date:
>Last-Modified:
>Originator:     Gary W. Swearingen
>Release:        FreeBSD 4.5-STABLE i386
>Organization:
none
>Environment:
n/a
================
>Description:

The "erase" description should explain that the default erase option
writes something to the entire tape (or whatever it does, I don't know
except that it takes a very long time) and that "long" is "very long".
It should also explain that disabling "long erase" (with a count of 0)
just writes to the tape header (or whatever it does) and should take
a short time.

It also doesn't say that the tape is left at BOT after erasing.
================
>How-To-Repeat:
n/a
================
>Fix:

I don't feel qualified to explain confidently, but here's my best
effort for an "erase" description:

    Erase the tape and leave it rewound.  A "count" of "0" disables the
    default method which takes a very long time and enables a method
    which takes a very short time.  (The author doesn't know, but the
    long method might write zeros to the entire tape while the short
    method writes only to the tape header.)
>Release-Note:
>Audit-Trail:
>Unformatted:

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