Archive 5945C tape drive - Emulex or Adaptec interface board?

From: Al Kossow <aek_at_spies.com>
Date: Tue Jul 13 16:47:10 2004

Now, in the loft I have a pair of Archive 5945C 60MB drives


They're QIC-36 interface drives apparently.

--
Correct, the basic drive mech is QIC-36
--
Emulex MW0210402's
--
Should be MT02
--
in order to stand a
chance of reading these tapes, do I need to know what board was
originally used (and even which drive!) in order to write them?
--
It would certainly help. MT02's are SCSI common command set and
can read QIC-11 or QIC-24 formats.
If the carts are DC300,450, or 600 and they were written on a
80's - ish unix box, they will probably be readable with a 5945
and MT02.
Be ABSOLUTELY sure that the capstan hasn't deteriorated before
trying to do anything with a tape you care about, though. Most
drives that old have rubber that has turned to goo, or WILL turn
to goo once heat is applied though the motor shaft.
Docs for both the Archive drive and MT02 are up on bitsavers.

Received on Tue Jul 13 2004 - 16:47:10 BST