how "reformat" DLT IV tape from 20/40 to 40/80?

[Palle Girgensohn]

Hi!

I tried degaussing a tape, but the degaussed tape is not accepted by the 
taper. The tape is ejected after about 30 s, the Media light flashes, 
manual says:

  An inappropriate tape has been
  loaded into the drive. The tape
  should automatically eject.

Do I need to format the tape? I really doubt that, and how would I be able 
to do that anyway if the tape is not accepted by the taper? Was it not 
enough degaussed? Also seems odd, doesn't explain why the taper ejects the 
tape?

Any ideas welcome!

Regards,
Palle

--On lördag, november 06, 2004 09.18.28 +0000 "Bjoern A. Zeeb" 
<bzeeb-lists at lists.zabbadoz.net> wrote:

> On Sat, 6 Nov 2004, Palle Girgensohn wrote:
>
>> Hi!
>>
>> Just got a new taper, an HP DLT VS80. We previously had an Adic, 20/40.
>> The use the same type of tapes, DLT IV. Now, I want to keep using some
>> of the old tapes, but the HP won't write to them, and I believe that is
>> because they are just 20/40 GB, not 40/80 GB. I found some info saying
>> that the first time a tape is used, the taper writes info about the
>> density (or sets the density somehow).
>
> VS80 is NO "full-featured" DLT IV tape. You can only write to tapes
> previously written by a VS80 or that are blank (new or _correctly_
> degaussed).
>
> For a more detailed description (please see this link:
> http://quantum.broaddaylight.com/quantum_support/FAQ_33_4717.shtm
>
>
>> I use FreeBSD, so I expect mt(1) should somehow be able to perform the
>> trick.
>
> no; it's not a matter of trick. It simply cannot work.
> VS80 != DLT IV and that's it. HP wants to make extra money from you ;)
>
>
>> Any ideas how to fix this?
>
> buy a DLT IV tape drive, degauss your tapes or buy new tapes.
>
> sorry to say there aren't many other possibilities.
>
> --
> Greetings
> Bjoern A. Zeeb				bzeeb at Zabbadoz dot NeT