cannot create specified device error with replacement tape drive

[Debbie Fleith]

We had to replace a DDS2 tape drive in our HP 9000 server running 10.20. The replacement tape drive is a Sony SDT-5000, the prior one was an HP model.

The server recognizes the new tape drive, but gives the "cannot create specified device" error when we try to backup using the DDS2 device file.

# ioscan -fnC tape
Class I H/W Path Driver S/W State H/W Type Description
======================================================================
tape 0 10/12/5.0.0 stape CLAIMED DEVICE SONY SDT-5000
/dev/rmt/0m /dev/rmt/c1t0d0BESTb
/dev/rmt/0mb /dev/rmt/c1t0d0BESTn
/dev/rmt/0mn /dev/rmt/c1t0d0BESTnb
/dev/rmt/0mnb /dev/rmt/c1t0d0DDS1
/dev/rmt/0mnc /dev/rmt/c1t0d0DDS2C
/dev/rmt/c1t0d0BEST /dev/rmt/c1t0d0NOMOD

# ls /tmp/testfile | cpio -ocvB > /dev/rmt/0m
(Using tape drive with immediate report mode enabled (reel #1).)
/tmp/testfile
170 blocks

# ls /tmp/testfile | cpio -ocvB > /dev/rmt/c1t0d0DDS2C
sh: /dev/rmt/c1t0d0DDS2C: Cannot create the specified file.


Any ideas?

[RAC_1]

I think file c1t0d0DDS2C is not compatible with DDS drive you have.

Did you re-create the device files? (Is you had rebooted the server after replacing DDS drive, that should have taken care of that.)

What lssf /dev/rmt/c1t0d0DDS2C gives?

Anil

[Debbie Fleith]

# lssf /dev/rmt/c1t0d0DDS2C
stape card instance 1 SCSI target 0 SCSI LUN 0 at&t DDS2 DAT tape cartridge comp
ressed at address 10/12/5.0.0 /dev/rmt/c1t0d0DDS2C

[David Burgess]

Try moving the device files away and run insf -e

Regards,

Dave.

[Debbie Fleith]

I removed the devices and ran insf -e. Now this DDS2 device does not show up with ioscan. Shall I conclude that this tape drive does not support compressions?

# ioscan -fnC tape
Class I H/W Path Driver S/W State H/W Type Description
============================================
==========================
tape 0 10/12/5.0.0 stape CLAIMED DEVICE SONY SDT-5000
/dev/rmt/0m /dev/rmt/c1t0d0BESTb
/dev/rmt/0mb /dev/rmt/c1t0d0BESTn
/dev/rmt/0mn /dev/rmt/c1t0d0BESTnb
/dev/rmt/0mnb /dev/rmt/c1t0d0DDS1
/dev/rmt/0mnc /dev/rmt/c1t0d0NOMOD
/dev/rmt/c1t0d0BEST

[RAC_1]

Do lssf on all files created. It will tell you if any of those device files support compression.

You can create on with mknod command.

Anil

[Debbie Fleith]

lssf doesn't show any devices that support DDS2 compression.

What's the syntax of the mknod command to create a device to support DDS2?

[RAC_1]

You can create it as follows.

mksf -C tape -b DDS2C -H "hardware_path /dev/rmt/0m_compressed

Anil

[RAC_1]

mksf -C tape -b DDS2 -H "hardware_path /dev/rmt/0m_uncompressed

for uncompressed. check man page of mksf in details. It lists all options and good explaination of those.

Anil

[Debbie Fleith]

I created this "dds2" device using the above mknod command. However, lssf shows "unknown density":

stape card instance 1 SCSI target 0 SCSI LUN 0 at&t unknown density "TYPE_DEPEND
ENT4" at address 10/12/5.0.0 dds2

Should it not show DDS2 density if the tape drive was capable?

[RAC_1]

This might be something to do with Sony tape drive. Not very sure on that. If it is dds2 drive, lssf should not have given that error.

You can use a device file that says best density available.


Anil