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Tar:/dev/st0:cannot write:input/output error

 
abcxyz
Frequent Advisor

Tar:/dev/st0:cannot write:input/output error

I am getting the below error while backing up on my linux Machine

Tar:/dev/st0:cannot write:input/output error

The tape drive works fine when connected to Windows.

The kernel version is 2.4.4-64GB.

Am looking for info related to this error.Am able to take small backups.

Thanks in advance!!
11 REPLIES 11
abcxyz
Frequent Advisor

Re: Tar:/dev/st0:cannot write:input/output error

Also,Both Windows and Linux are same model Proliant machines
Siljumon Sebastian
New Member

Re: Tar:/dev/st0:cannot write:input/output error

Hi,

Isolate the problem by connecting another tape drive to the linux system.

check the dmesg for any kind of errors

Regards
Siljumon S
abcxyz
Frequent Advisor

Re: Tar:/dev/st0:cannot write:input/output error

Thanks for your Reply.

The issue remains same if connecting another Tape Drive on to the machine.Sometimes works fine for a couple or three backups.

I'll try to post the Dmesg logs.
Steven E. Protter
Exalted Contributor

Re: Tar:/dev/st0:cannot write:input/output error

Shalom,

You seem to have eliminated hardware as an issue with your tests.

I then suggest you get new drivers for Linux from the tape maker and in general patch the OS with patchlink or up2date or whatever facilities your Linux vendor/distribution provides.

SEP
Steven E Protter
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abcxyz
Frequent Advisor

Re: Tar:/dev/st0:cannot write:input/output error

Thanks All for the replies.

Below is the output from dmesg...Cannot see any errors

scsi0 : Adaptec AIC7XXX EISA/VLB/PCI SCSI HBA DRIVER, Rev 6.1.13

aic7899: Ultra160 Wide Channel A, SCSI Id=7, 32/255 SCBs

scsi1 : Adaptec AIC7XXX EISA/VLB/PCI SCSI HBA DRIVER, Rev 6.1.13

aic7899: Ultra160 Wide Channel B, SCSI Id=7, 32/255 SCBs

Vendor: HP Model: C1537A Rev: L411
Type: Sequential-Access ANSI SCSI revision: 02
(scsi1:A:0): 10.000MB/s transfers (10.000MHz, offset 32)

Also,have observed that small backups still happen
Alan_152
Honored Contributor

Re: Tar:/dev/st0:cannot write:input/output error

1) What is the exact command line you are trying to use with tar?

2) Can you output the contents of /proc/scsi/scsi here? For some reason, I'm thinking that "st0" is incorrect syntax for a tape drive on a linux box...

3) Since you are on a linux box, fire up the "Amanda" tape backup application and see if the drive is detected and usable from there.

4)Finally, try this syntax and see if anything happens (old-school *nix, BTW):
dd if=/ of=/dev/st0
Stuart Browne
Honored Contributor

Re: Tar:/dev/st0:cannot write:input/output error

Using 'mt', find out what block size the tape drive is set to, then verify that the 'tar' command you are using uses the correct block values.
One long-haired git at your service...
abcxyz
Frequent Advisor

Re: Tar:/dev/st0:cannot write:input/output error

Thanks all,I'll check and revert.

please list the steps used to check the block size as do not have much info on Linux.

I had read somewhere that there's a limitation on the File sizes that can be backed up using tar in Linux.

Any ideas on it.Thanks
Stuart Browne
Honored Contributor

Re: Tar:/dev/st0:cannot write:input/output error

Recent versions of tar don't have the 2GB input-file-size limit, but as far as I'm aware, it's always worked fine for the output being a device.

You want something like:

mt -f /dev/nst0 status

And to set it, something like:

mt -f /dev/nst0 setblk 0

or

mt -f /dev/nst0 setblk 512

depending on where you're going. Using '0' should set the device to auto-block-size, but some times that can confuse things more.

Tar should be happy with 512-byte multiples.

One long-haired git at your service...