Contest: dump(8) parameters for DC300XL 1/4" cartridge tape

Roy Richter roy at rphroy.UUCP
Fri Jul 1 07:00:44 AEST 1988


I've had it with 1/4" cartridge tape.  Everybody I ask has a different
opinion on the parameters to use for making a dump(8).  I would like
to run a contest to see who can send me parameters that maximize the
number of bytes one can put on such a tape.  Assume you are dumping
to QIC-24 format (/dev/nrst8 on the Sun).  The command line is thus:

dump 0ucbsf $block $size /dev/nrst8 /dec/rxy0g

and I need the values for $block and $size.

Yes, I know Sun recently went to rst8.  Some sources say this reduces
total tape usage, others say the tape usage dropped due to shared libraries
in SunOS 4.0.  My expirience is that one can use the same parameters for
rst0 and rst8, with similar tape usage.  Both can use 9 tracks.

For your information, I use $block=1750 and $size=3825 for a 450 ft. tape
and get 43.5 Meg per tape.

I will post *all* unique sets of parameters after a reasonable time.

(Oh, contest....for a prize, how about <to be negotiated> but not
less than a free tape?)
-- 
Roy Richter                      UUCP:  {teemc,edsews,mcf}!rphroy!roy
Physics Dept, GM Research        CSNet: richter at gmr.com



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