[Info-vax] Backup TK50 tapes

[David Froble]

supervinx wrote:
>> What we do not understand is why you think you need to preserve these
>> tapes as tape images, when disk images will provide the same
>> functionality.
>>
> Thanks you all for the patience !
> So, let me see if I've understood well...
> 
> 1) I have a bootable tape set with VMS 5.5 (two tapes)
> 2) I backup them on a virtual unit (disk image)

To get the files off the tapes, do an ANSI (I think) mount of the tape, 
and use COPY to copy the save sets to wherever you wish.

$ mount MTA0: /overide=ID
$ copy MTA0:*.* DISK0:[ME.VMS52]
$ dismount MTA0:

> 3) The image is readable and bootable by simh.

Now as for that, no, I don't think so.  What is (or could) be bootable 
is save set "A" restored onto some type of disk using BACKUP.  Probably 
BACKUP/IMAGE.  At least that is how I'd try it.  The save set "A" is an 
image (BACKUP/IMAGE) backup of a running / runable VMS system disk.

Say you have an LD container disk.  First mount/foreign.  Then:

$ backup/image/verify DISK0:[ME.VMS52]vms052.A <LD container disk name>

That LD container disk should then be bootable, by a VAX, or by SimH.

Disclaimer, I've never used SimH.

> Last thing: to transfer data from the tape to the virtual unit I must use 
> BACKUP or a normal COPY MUA0: ... ?

COPY is maybe best.  If you use BACKUP, do not use the save_set 
qualifier.  You're interested in just copying the file from tape to 
elsewhere.

> The tapes have not savesets and BACKUP refuse to manage them...

The files on the tape are definitely save sets.  You don't want to 
"manage" them, you just want to copy them.

If this doesn't make sense to you, say so, and I'll make up a scenario 
for you to attempt to follow.