onlog -d [device] gives "bad tape: tape format not recognized"

Am trying to use the informix onlog utility to read log files from a tape. I've tried different approaches, but here's a typical: ism_op -unmount /dev/rmt/0cbn #to unmount mt -f /dev/rmt/0cbn rewind # to rewind onlog -d /dev/rmt/0cbn # to read tape onlog prompts to mount the tape, then gives the error listed in the subject. informix storage manager and onbar logs both indicate successful writes to the tape for the logical logs, so I believe it is being written to ok. using onbar to create logs. working in informix 7.34 dynamic server on solaris intel. tape device agrees with the LTAPEDEV parameter in onconfig. LTAPEBLK set to 1024. Thanks. Ron Wuthrich

ron wuthrich wrote: > Am trying to use the informix onlog utility to read log files from a > tape. > I've tried different approaches, but here's a typical: > > ism_op -unmount /dev/rmt/0cbn #to unmount > mt -f /dev/rmt/0cbn rewind # to rewind > onlog -d /dev/rmt/0cbn # to read tape> > onlog prompts to mount the tape, then gives the error listed in the > subject. informix storage manager and onbar logs both indicate > successful writes to the tape for the logical logs, so I believe it is > being written to ok. using onbar to create logs. working in informix > 7.34 dynamic server on solaris intel. tape device agrees with the > LTAPEDEV parameter in onconfig. LTAPEBLK set to 1024. Is that a non-rewind device? Bad idea...Informix programs open the device, read the first block, close it (expecting it to rewind), reopen it and complain when they don't get the same data again. That's why you're told to use a rewind device. OK - actually, I don't know that this is your problem. Nevertheless, it could be. -- Jonathan Leffler #include <disclaimer.h> Email: jleffler@earthlink.net, jleffler@us.ibm.com Guardian of DBD::Informix v2003.04 -- http://dbi.perl.org/

Jonathan Leffler wrote: > ron wuthrich wrote: > >> Am trying to use the informix onlog utility to read log files from a >> tape. >> I've tried different approaches, but here's a typical: >> >> ism_op -unmount /dev/rmt/0cbn #to unmount >> mt -f /dev/rmt/0cbn rewind # to rewind >> onlog -d /dev/rmt/0cbn # to read tape>> >> onlog prompts to mount the tape, then gives the error listed in the >> subject. informix storage manager and onbar logs both indicate >> successful writes to the tape for the logical logs, so I believe it is >> being written to ok. using onbar to create logs. working in informix >> 7.34 dynamic server on solaris intel. tape device agrees with the >> LTAPEDEV parameter in onconfig. LTAPEBLK set to 1024. > > > > Is that a non-rewind device? Bad idea...Informix programs open the > device, read the first block, close it (expecting it to rewind), reopen > it and complain when they don't get the same data again. That's why > you're told to use a rewind device. > > OK - actually, I don't know that this is your problem. Nevertheless, it > could be. > > It is true that having TAPEDEV and / or LTAPEDEV set to a on-rewind device can cause issues. However, ism requires the devices to be non-rewind and that is probably why you went that route. Still, reading the logs backed up using onbar is ... apparently a feature request ;)) Call support and quote Bug 115798, they should be able to tell you how to do it.