11/44 9trk tape help

From: John Lawson <jpl15_at_netcom.com>
Date: Sun Mar 21 21:21:41 1999

  Hello List!

  I am not having much luck trying to figure out how to use the 9trk
tape device on my PDP 11/44 system. The 11/44 has a big Fuji SMD as
DB0:, a TU58 I have no tape for, and either a Cipher 880 or a
Kennedy 9100. The controller is a TE11 and the unit is MA0:. For
purposes of this question I have hooked up the Kennedy... mainly so
I can *watch* it run. ;}

 The OS is RSTS/E V9.7. I have no RSTS docs at all... a year ago I
gave them to the guy I got this system from. :< (Hi Bruce!)

  I have spent some hours going over the 'help' docs, but I have no
experience with 1/2" tape other than the other Cipher on my uVax II
under VMS, which, notwithstanding having some doc and a lot of
patient help from a number of folk, I couldn't get to copy foreign
files (RT11 <-> VMS).

  I would just like to be able to copy files to and from the disk,
and to load files from the other tapes. I have played with
Initializing, Allocating, and Mounting... but I'm missing
something. I have been trying to use PIP to move files, but it's
been suggested that PIP don't speak Tape... I dunno.

  Can someone who has done this just give me the outline of how to
use the 9trk? I have been reluctant so far to use the BACKUP and
RESTORE facilities because I don't know any possible gotchas
involved. Maybe if I can get this HD backed up to tape then I'll
feel safer mucking about.

  Thanks in advance!!

Cheers

John
Received on Sun Mar 21 1999 - 21:21:41 GMT