tar command says "No such device or address"

[Amit Kureel]

When I try tar command to back-up a filesystem ( e.g. tar -cvf /home/amit ), I am getting an error as follows :
"No such device or address"

I even tried to re-build the device file in /dev/rmt/c#t#dBEST and I can see all the usual files /dev/rmt/0m
/dev/rmt/0mn
/dev/rmt/0mnb
etc.,

Can anybody indicate what could be the error, and how to re-create the device file /dev/rmt/0m that tar refers to by default... because my "mksf" only creates the file /dev/rmt/c#t#dBEST

Thanks in advance....

Amit Kureel

[Thierry Poels_1]

Hi,

you left out the destination, or either the source. After '-f' the backup destination is expected. So if you want to backup to tape, use:
tar -cvf /dev/rmt/0m /home/amit
or tar cv /home/amit (for default destination, should be /dev/rmt/0m)

good luck,
Thierry.

[Magdi KAMAL]

Hi Amit,

You command is :

#tar -cvf /home/amit

The system is trying to of /home/amit is a device to write on ( as the -f option is giving )

You need to run the following :
#tar -cvf /dev/rmt/#m /home/amit

Magdi