[ale] Python SCSI Tape

[Glynn Black]

I'm doing a dual boot with NT Workstation and Linux on a Compaq DeskPro
6000. Despite the reputation that Linux seems to have working on Compaq
machines, I have everything working properly with the exception of my
Python SCSI tape drive. It works fine on the NT side and with tar I can
create, list and extract files on the Linux side with no problems. I
experience difficulty when I try to use mt. I can get a status of:

SCSI 2 tape drive:
File number=-1, block number=-1, partition=0.
Tape block size 512 bytes. Density code 0x13 (DDS (61000 bpi)).
Soft error count since last status=0
General status bits on (1010000):
 ONLINE IM_REP_EN

but retension is completely ignored and erase starts the activity light
and then locks the tape drive up. I've left it alone overnight and the
next morning the tape has ejected and am left with error message:

st0: Error with sense data: extra data not valid Current error st09:00:
sense key not ready
Additional sense indicates Logical Unit not ready, cause not reportable

using Red Hat 5.1
adaptec AHA-294x Ultra
Python 27871-xxx
both mt-st ver .4 and .5
kernel ver 2.0.34

I saw no references to mt-st or Python SCSI tape on the manhattan list
archives. The hardware howto says virtually all scsi tape drives should
work. Anyone run across this problem??? I have the opportunity to move
my Perl/Tk projects over to the Linux side if I can get over this
hurdle.

Glynn Black    Chatham DFCS
dfcs at g-net.net