# ftape-HOWTO

## Kai Harrekilde-Petersen, `khp@login.dknet.dk`

Last updated October 21th, 1994 for ftape-1.13b

This HOWTO discuss the essentials of the do's and dont's for the `ftape` driver under Linux. The `ftape` driver interfaces to QIC-80 and QIC-40 compatible drives only. These drives connects via the floppy controller. It does not cover SCSI or QIC-02 tape drives. DAT tape drives usually (always?) connect to a SCSI controller. This is but one of the Linux HOWTO documents. You can get the HOWTO's from `sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/Linux/doc/HOWTO` (this is the ``official'' place) or via the web from the Linux Documentation home page . You cannot rely on the HOWTO's being posted to `comp.os.linux.announce`, as some newsfeeds have complained about their size.

## 1. Legalese

## 2. The preliminaries

#### 2.1 What is `ftape`

#### 2.2 The newest version of `ftape` - and where to get it

#### 2.3 The newest version of `ftape` - and where to get it

#### 2.4 The newest version of `ftape` - and where to get it

#### 2.5 The newest version of `ftape` - and where to get it

#### 2.6 Using an external tape drive with `ftape`

#### 2.7 Compiling and installing the `ftape` driver

#### 2.8 Where to get the kernel sources

#### 2.9 Can I format my tapes under Linux?

#### 2.10 Which formatting programs can I use under DOS?

## 3. Backing up and restoring data

#### 3.1 Which formatting programs can I use under DOS?

#### 3.2 Restoring an archive

#### 3.3 Testing the archive

#### 3.4 Putting more than one `tar` file on a tape

#### 3.5 Appending files to an archive

#### 3.6 Mount/unmounting tapes

## 4. Frequently Asked Questions

#### 4.1 Can I exchange tapes with someone using DOS?

#### 4.2 How do I `....' with `tar`?

#### 4.3 `ftape` DMA transfers gives ECC errors

#### 4.4 `insmod` says the kernel version is wrong

#### 4.5 The `v1.1.0` kernel wont compile when `ftape` support

#### 4.6 `ftape` complains that ```This tape has no 'Linux raw`

#### 4.7 Where can I find the `tar`/`mt`/`cpio`/`dd`

## 5. Debugging the `ftape` driver

#### 5.1 The kernel/`ftape` crashes on me when I do `...' - is that a

#### 5.2 `ftape` keep saying `... new tape', what do I do?

#### 5.3 OK, it's a bug ...ehhh... feature - How do I submit a report?

#### 5.4 How do I change the trace-level?

#### 5.5 When I use `/dev/nftape`, I get garbage ... why?