User guide

Installing a DLT, SDLT, VS, LTO, or DAT Tape Drive Into a Linux Operating System
6464215-01, Rev B
January 2006
Appendix D – Troubleshooting 31
Appendix D – Troubleshooting 0
This section covers common errors.
Problem Explanation Fix
You receive a non-
recoverable error that looks
similar to this after
performing the
tar command:
tar: /dev/st0: Wrote only 0 of
10240 bytes
tar: Error is not recoverable:
exiting now
The tape device has a
blocksize set to a parameter
value other than
0.
Use
mt to set the blocksize to 0 so the tape
drive can operate in variable blocksize
mode. Execute this command:
# mt -f /dev/st0 setblk 0
Note: st0
is used as the device node for
this example only; be sure to use the
correct
mode0 node.
No information is returned
when you execute the
command
# rpm -qa | grep mt-st
to verify mt-st is installed.
mt-st is not installed.
Install
mt-st (see Installing mt-st on
page 17).
No information is returned
when you execute the
command
# rpm -qa mtx
to verify mtx is installed.
mtx is not installed. Install mtx (see Installing mtx on page 21).
modinfo st reports the st
module name not found.
st module is not loaded. Load the st module. Consult your Linux
manuals for instructions.
The
st device nodes are not
present in the
/dev directory.
Create the device nodes.
Use the
mknod commands described in
Creating Auto-Rewind Device Nodes
on
page 16 and Creating No-Rewind Device
Nodes on page 16
Refer to the following documentation for
more detailed instructions:
• Your Linux documentation
•
st(4) man page
• mknod(1) man page
The backup application does
not work.
Your backup application may
not be compatible with the
stinit.def file you are using.
Check your backup application
documentation for information on what
type of stinit.def files you can use; then
rewrite the
stinit.def file.