Simple tar issue

[Doug_3]

Hello, sorry I am posting such a minor issue, but I need some quick advice. I use fbackup but have some archived tar tapes that I want to extract a file from. My experience with tar is minimal so please be kind (I did check the man and rtfm'ed the manuals we have...)

I use this syntax:
tar -xvf /dev/rmt/0m /path/path/path/file

I get a msg (and no file):
tar tape error (5)

I can extract a listing and the file does exist on the tape.

tia!!!

Doug

[Jitendra_1]

Can you post what command you used for tape listing and what was the output. I suspect the tape might have files with relative pathnames like "./path/path/path/file" . Can you try extracting it this way? is the tape device file /dev/rmt/0m for sure?

[Doug_3]

Hermant,

The original command was:
tar -cvf /dev/rmt/0m *

and a second tape was
tar -cvf /dev/rmt/0m path1 path2 path3/path4

My command was

tar -xvf /dev/rmt/0m /path1/filename

is my problem the addition of the absolute path "/" and the syntax SHOULD be

tar -xvf /dev/rmt/0m path/filename

tia

Doug

[Jitendra_1]

You have copied the files using absolute path it seems so you should be ok with your present tar command.
Try tar -tvf /dev/rmt/0m | grep filename . where filename is the file you want .Suppose the output is $filename with all the path appended. After that give
tar -xvf $filename ( $filename is exactly as it shows from above output).

Hope this helps.
Good luck

[melvyn burnard]

You might also want to take a look at the pax command as this allows recovering from a tar or cpio archive and even stripping off leading directories.

man pax

[Mike Williams_3]

Try a tape cleaner.

[Dan Hetzel]

Hi Doug,

Your problem definitely comes from the absolute/relative path you are using.

In your example above, you use relative path to create the tape and absolute path when trying to retrieve the data.

A simple 'tar tv' will show you how files are stored on the tape, and you should use the name as it is shown to extract your file(s).

Best regards,

Dan

[Doug_3]

Thanks to all who replied. It was a issue of relative vs. absolute path. Different operators were using different paths.

Unforetunately for me the tape did not restore the file that tar -vf was on the tape. No error msg, just no file.

Oh well, back to fbackup which as worked flawlessly for me.

Doug

[Doug_3]

thank you.