RE: SAVxxx SEQNBR(11) bombs if #11 already on tape???

All drives support SEQNBR(1) CLEAR(*ALL) but only a few (reel to reel for
example) will support CLEAR at other than SEQNBR(1).
SEQNBR(1) CLEAR(*ALL) is very useful for a backup where you don't
want/need to reinitialize the tape but want to erase previous data.

...Neil





"Reeve Fritchman" <reeve@ltl400.com>
Sent by: midrange-l-admin@midrange.com
2001/08/29 13:11
Please respond to midrange-l


        To:     <midrange-l@midrange.com>
        cc:
        Subject:        RE: SAVxxx SEQNBR(11) bombs if #11 already on tape???


Dan, I think it's something to do with the nature of streaming tape
drives:
the tape transport can't position the tape to the tolerance required for
overwriting.  Overwriting did work on reel-to-reel tapes, but then it's
embarrassing to admit I know that.

Maybe you need to change users instead of changing tapes...

-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-admin@midrange.com
[mailto:midrange-l-admin@midrange.com]On
Behalf Of Bale, Dan
Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2001 12:27 PM
To: midrange-l@midrange.com
Subject: RE: SAVxxx SEQNBR(11) bombs if #11 already on tape???

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I was wondering the same, whether this only works with reel tapes.  If
so, it seems odd that IBM chose to leave the help text I referenced
unchanged (even on our V4R4 box!), without at least some note that this
only works for reel (or non-7208?) tapes.  I mean, really, who uses reel
tapes for backing up their AS/400 anymore?

Regardless, it seems odd that this is an issue with any tape drive,
don'tcha think?  Go to sequence# 11 on the tape, ignore what's there,
and start writing.  What's so hard about that?

<sigh>  Making a mountain out of a molehill, I guess.

Dan "there's just gotta be a way!" Bale
IT - AS/400
Handleman Company
248-362-4400  Ext. 4952
D.Bale@Handleman.com

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Reeve Fritchman [SMTP:reeve@ltl400.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2001 11:41 AM
> To:   midrange-l@midrange.com
> Subject:      RE: SAVxxx SEQNBR(11) bombs if #11 already on tape???
>
> I think non-reel tapes have a problem with overwriting sequence
> numbers;
> I've encountered the same problem as you.  And since the end labels
> probably
> weren't written, the 7208 won't know where SEQNBR(12) should start.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: midrange-l-admin@midrange.com
> [mailto:midrange-l-admin@midrange.com]On
> Behalf Of Bale, Dan
> Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2001 11:14 AM
> To: MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
> Subject: SAVxxx SEQNBR(11) bombs if #11 already on tape???
>
> This morning, someone at one of our remote branches inadvertantly
> ejected the backup tape on our V3R7 system before it was finished
> backing up a save file via SAVSAVFDTA.  Strangely enough, a DSPTAP of
> the tape shows the ten libraries that were saved normally via the
> SAVLIB
> that runs prior to the SAVSAVFDTA.  It also shows sequence number 11
> for
> the library being saved via SAVSAVFDTA, but the Date Created and
> Expiration Date are from the save that occurred last week.  This may
> or
> may not be a moot point...
>
> I attempted to restart the SAVSAVFDTA.  First, I cancelled the backup
> job that had the message waiting because the tape had been ejected.
> Then I submitted:
>      SAVSAVFDTA SAVF(AOSLIB$SFL/AOSLIB$SAV)
>        DEV(TAP03) VOL('TUE1W1' 'TUE2W1') SEQNBR(11)
>        ENDOPT(*LEAVE) CLEAR(*ALL) EXPDATE(083001)
>        COMPACT(*DEV) OUTPUT(*PRINT)
>
> Note: This save would fill up the remaining portion of TUE1W1 and
> continue to TUE2W1.  According to the help text on SAVSAVFDTA's CLEAR
> parameter, specifically the *ALL option:
>
>     If tapes are used and a sequence number is specified on the SEQNBR
>
>     parameter, the first tape is cleared beginning at that sequence
> number.
>     All tapes following that first tape are completely cleared.
>
>
> Using this information, I presumed that using CLEAR(*ALL) & SEQNBR(11)
> would enable the save command to overwrite whatever was sitting at
> that
> spot on the tape.  However, when I submitted this command, I got
> message
> CPF4249, which states:
>  Message . . . . :   File sequence number 11 already exists on volume
> TUE1W1.
>  Cause . . . . . :   File sequence number 11 already exists on volume
> TUE1W1,
>   and the device TAP03 is a 7208 type tape device. After a tape volume
> has
>   been initialized, this type of tape device can only add files to the
> end of
>   the volume.  Therefore, a sequence number cannot be specified which
> already
>   exists on the volume. Recovery  . . . :   Specify a sequence number
> (SEQNBR)
>   one larger than the last file on the volume with the Override Tape
> File
>   (OVRTAPF) command, or load the correct volume on the tape device and
> try the
>   operation again.
>
> Why is the 7208 "picked on" here?  More importantly, is there a way I
> can clear SEQuence NumBeR 11 on that tape so that I can run the
> SAVSAVFDTA?
>
> Dan Bale