[Info-vax] Backup TK50 tapes

[Stephen Hoffman]

On 2013-02-23 08:45:13 +0000, supervinx said:

You're apparently into "retrocomputing", which makes me wonder if this 
a quixotic retrocomputing quest to establish your magtape bona fides, 
or whether if you're trying to do some actual work here.  Which is it?


>> 
>> Um, BACKUP /PHYSICAL does that.  BACKUP /PHYSICAL is the rough VMS
>> equivalent of dd, and it can be used to create a physical saveset.  But
>> that's a pile of work, with a pile of gear, and arguably unnecessary if
>> there's a network here.
>> 
> I'm unable to use BACKUP /PHY with a tape as first argument.
> Where am I wrong ?
> 
> $ backup/physical MUA0: duc1:
> %BACKUP-F-MOUNTFOR, DUC1:[SYSMGR]*.*;* must be mounted /FOREIGN
> 
> $ mount /foreign duc1:
> %MOUNT-I-MOUNTED, TEMP mounted on _SVXVAX$DUC1:
> 
> $ backup/physical MUA0: duc1:
> %MOUNT-I-MOUNTED, CDD mounted on _SVXVAX$MUA0:
> %BACKUP-F-NONPHYSET, nonphysical save set supplied to physical operation
> OK, the tape contains normal savesets...
> 
> $ backup/physical MUA0: duc1:xxx.bck
> %BACKUP-F-PHYFILSPE, /PHYSICAL specification must have only device name
> OK, I've understood..
> 
> $ backup/physical MUA0: duc1:xxx.bck/save
> %BACKUP-F-ONEF11DEV, both input and output must not be save sets
> That's right, tapefiles are treated as savesets...
> 
> What's the right syntax ?

BACKUP goes from either one (tape savset) file to many for restoration, 
or from many to one (tape saveset) file for backup, or from disk to 
disk.

You need an intermediate saveset here, or you need two disks of the 
same size, or a disk and an LD, for the transfer.

BACKUP has no concept of a physical disk copy that doesn't involve a 
saveset or disk-to-disk, and doesnt do physical tape copies.

>> Install the available LD kit from Jur's digiater.nl site, and then use
>> LD to create and connect a disk image on OpenVMS VAX, INITIALIZE the LD
>> disk image, then MOUNT that disk image, then load the disk image
>> with.... stuff... ...whatever... then DISMOUNT, then LD disconnect the
>> LD device, then transfer the disk image via network to the simh host
>> box, specify the disk image as the target device (device type RAUSER) in
>> the simh initialization, boot OpenVMS VAX, and MOUNT your disk image,
>> and off you go...
>> 
> But how to create bootable images from bootable tapes ?
> I.e, for bootable tapes I want an image like tapedd one...

Is this for magtape bona fides, or are you looking to transfer the data 
from the VAX to simh?

If you really want to play with tapes, here's how to build a slow and 
nasty and ugly and flaky and generally undesirable bootable tape:

@SYS$UPDATE:STABACKIT

Or of you attempting to copy existing tapes — a tape-to-tape copy — 
then look for a tool such as TAPECOPY tool in on digitar.nl or 
decuslib.com.  That's the rough VMS analog of dd for tapes.

Otherwise, use LD and the network.



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