tar extract from 4x2Gb files err: blocksize

[Tor-Arne Nostdal]

A directory structure is saved as a tar backup on disk.

When the upper limit (2Gb) was reached for first file, it asked for a new filename.

We have 4 files containing the entire backup.
filename.tar, filename2.tar filename3.tar and filename4.tar

When trying to restore the files we get blocksize error.

tar -xvf filename.tar

I have experimented a bit with:
tar -xvb__f filename.tar
and tried to check the blocksize to use with:
dd if=filename.tar of=/tmp/record bs=64k
ll /tmp/record
It will only show the of_bs of dd command as far as I can see.

Any suggestions ?

[Jeff Schussele]

Hi,

Yes - avoid the 2GB tar limitation altogether & use GNU tar.
gtar is available here:

http://hpux.cs.utah.edu/hppd/hpux/Gnu/tar-1.14/

Rgds,
Jeff

[Victor BERRIDGE]

I cant see how to bypass your issue other than using gnu tar, which has not the 2GB "for compatibilities reason" limitation.
Still looking though

All the best
Victor

[Tor-Arne Nostdal]

But can gnu tar extract my 4 files ?
And do you have any suggestions how to solve this immediate problem ?

[Patrick Wallek]

First, there is NO 2GB limitation for tar when CREATING tar files! You probably do not have the largefiles option set on the filesystem you created this on so it errored when it hit the 2GB limit. If you enable largefiles I can almost guarantee that you will then have 1 BIG tar file.

Now when you are trying to restore the files are you starting with filename.tar and then progressing to filename2.tar, filename3.tar, etc.? If not you need to try that. I am fairly certain that you can NOT restore starting with the middle file in a set.

[Tor-Arne Nostdal]

Sure Patrick,
I start with the first file, but after some waiting I would expect to be prompted for the next one, but only get the error message stating blocksize error.

/Tor-Arne

[Peter Lundquist_1]

This might sound simplistic, but is it worth a try? I don't have a way to try this myself.

cat filename.tar filname[234].tar | tar tvf -

If it can read the TOC without error, maybe it can extract without error as well. It would be nice to know the results either way.

Good luck,
Peter

[Tor-Arne Nostdal]

I have tried to cat the files and it didn't work...
Nevertheless - an answer is always worth a point ;-)