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When we attempt to use tar to write data to an LTO-5 tape, we get the following error. The device starts to write, and then fails. See the tar command and output, followed by the dmesg output. I included the mt status as well. Any help is appreciated.

This is an Ultrium 3280 LTO5 drive connected through a SAS interface on RHEL 6. We tried a second drive, and second tape. These are brand new tapes, and new drives.

Both of the following commands run without any issues.

sudo mt -f /dev/st0 stsetoptions scsi2logical
sudo mt -f /dev/st0 erase

mt status provides the following

sudo mt -f /dev/st0 status
SCSI 2 tape drive: File number=0, block number=0, partition=0.
Tape block size 0 bytes.
Density code 0x58 (no translation).
Soft error count since last status=0
General status bits on (41010000): BOT ONLINE IM_REP_EN

When we attempt to write some output to the drive, we get the following. The device acts as if it is writing, lights start flashing and starts making noise.

sudo tar cvf /dev/st0 /vader
tar: Removing leading `/' from member names
/vader/
/vader/data0905a-data0906/
/vader/data0905a-data0906/data0905a-FINAL/
/vader/data0905a-data0906/data0905a-FINAL/data0905a.trk
/vader/data0905a-data0906/data0905a-FINAL/plots/
/vader/data0905a-data0906/data0905a-FINAL/plots/0905A_trak.ps
/vader/data0905a-data0906/data0905a-FINAL/plots/0905A_trak.jpg
/vader/data0905a-data0906/data0905a-FINAL/das/
/vader/data0905a-data0906/data0905a-FINAL/das/uw/
/vader/data0905a-data0906/data0905a-FINAL/das/uw/0905tmp.tar
/vader/data0905a-data0906/data0905a-FINAL/das/uw/0905nud.tar
/vader/data0905a-data0906/data0905a-FINAL/das/uw/0905das.tar
/vader/data0905a-data0906/data0905a-FINAL/das/uw/0905wnc.tar
/vader/data0905a-data0906/data0905a-FINAL/das/uw/0905bdp.tar
/vader/data0905a-data0906/data0905a-FINAL/das/uw/0905vp1.tar
/vader/data0905a-data0906/data0905a-FINAL/das/uw/0905rv1.tar
/vader/data0905a-data0906/data0905a-FINAL/das/uw/0905tsg.tar
/vader/data0905a-data0906/data0905a-FINAL/das/uw/0905co2.tar
/vader/data0905a-data0906/data0905a-FINAL/das/uw/0905guv.tar
/vader/data0905a-data0906/data0905a-FINAL/das/uw/0905ng1.tar
/vader/data0905a-data0906/data0905a-FINAL/das/uw/0905wx1.tar
/vader/data0905a-data0906/data0905a-FINAL/dcp/
/vader/data0905a-data0906/data0905a-FINAL/dcp/0905dcp.tar
tar: /dev/st0: Cannot write: Input/output error
tar: Error is not recoverable: exiting now

Here is dmesg

mptbase: ioc0: LogInfo(0x31120403): Originator={PL}, Code={Abort},
SubCode(0x0403) cb_idx mptscsih_io_done
LSI Debug log info 31120403 for channel 0 id 2
st0: Error 80000 (driver bt 0x0, host bt 0x8).

Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

share|improve this question
    
A shot into the dark: Check the manual for the blocksize the drive expects and do a test write with exactly a multiple of that size (or tell tar to use that blocksize). –  yeti Jun 23 '14 at 14:28
    
Hi, welcome to unix.SE. I see you had good intentions with your attempts to format your question clearly. However, your implementation was off-target. I've gone through and made some improvements. Click "edit" to see how code blocks should be formatted on Stack Exchange. –  drs Jun 23 '14 at 14:34
    
A web search found forums.opensuse.org/showthread.php/… . Suggested fix is as @yeti said: increase the blocking factor. try sudo tar cvbf 1024 /dev/st0 /vader –  Mark Plotnick Jun 23 '14 at 15:20
    
We're going to try using a blocking factor of 1024. Thanks for the suggestions. I'll get the output as soon as I can. –  Valerie Jun 23 '14 at 15:29
    
Ping? It is ok now? –  yeti Jun 27 '14 at 18:56

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