[Info-vax] Backup TK50 tapes

[glen herrmannsfeldt]

ChrisQ <meru at devnull.com> wrote:

(snip)
> While i'm sure there are more modern utilities to copy tapes, providing
> you know the block structure of the tape, dd should copy it verbatim,
> even if you have to write a script to read it block by block.

With the right options, dd should copy tape to tape and preserve
block structure. What dd can't do is copy tape to disk, and then
disk to tape, and preserve the block structure.
 
> With old media like tk50, just getting the data off the tape can be an
> interesting challenge and that's assuming that you can even find working
> hardware :-)...

Converting to one of the popular (or not so popular) virtual tape
formats that includes block length information will allow for tape
to disk to tape conversion. (And for running on emulators.)

-- glen