tar error

[Pablo Arnaldi]

Hi:
I'm having the following error when I use my backup script from the cron:

Can't open /dev/tty to prompt for more media.

Has anyone know what this it means? What was wrong?
Thanks!

[A. Clay Stephenson]

When tar fills up a tape and there is more data to be backed up, the user is prompted for additional media. Because tar sees no controlling terminal, it can't prompt you. That is your error. You are going to limit the amount you backup or choose a higher capacity tape drive/medium.

[Martin Johnson]

The tar operation is prompting for information (probably where to put the data as the target of the tar operation is full). There is no terminal associated with the cronjob, which is why you got the error.

The the tar manually to see what it is prompting for.

HTH
Marty

[MANOJ SRIVASTAVA]

It looks like the data size of the backup is more than the size of one cartridge so it is prompting to mount another media , this message is sent to the sessions from which it is run , so if you are running from cron it will give you this error ,

Manoj Srivastava

[Jeff Schussele]

Hi Pablo,

It's telling you that the backup command is wanting to prompt for a new tape but can't because it's a cron job & has no tty device to talk to.
You'll either have to cut the backup size down or run it manually. The other option is a larger tape device.

Rgds,
Jeff