[H-GEN] Linux backup tool of choice

[Jason Parker-Burlingham]

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David Findlay <david at davsoft.com.au> writes:

> BTW, how do you actually write to a tape drive in Linux? I've never done it 
> and can't find a howto anywhere. Thanks,

The device file will usually be called something like /dev/nst0 ("n"
meaning "non-rewinding").  You can dump or tar to that device:

        tar cf /dev/nst0 /usr
        tar tfv /dev/nst0
        dump -0f /dev/nst0 /
        dd if=/dev/nst0 bs=1k count=3 of=3kbytes-of-tape.raw

and the mt(1) program controls the special function of the tape drive
(there's also another mt-style command whose name escapes me at 1am
which deals with multi-tape units and tape robots and the like):

        mt -f /dev/nst0 rewind
        mt -f /dev/nst0 fsf 2  # skips forward two "files" on the tape
        mt -f /dev/nst0 seod   # skip forward to end of data
        mt -f /dev/nst0 erase  # make a complete backup of your system

jason, spot the joke and win valuable prizes!
-- 
``I didn't program you for sarcasm.''

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