From: ggm@dstc.edu.au (George Michaelson) Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: how readable are old tapes nowadays? Date: 6 Mar 2001 00:03:19 GMT Organization: Distributed Systems Technology CRC Lines: 21 Message-ID: <983836999.145668@eeyore.dstc.edu.au> References: <97s61g$hb2$1@freenet9.carleton.ca> <897603610D19539D.D8C8D61C8CB7CF2D.7EAA97978EFF44AE@lp.airnews.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: eeyore.dstc.edu.au X-Trace: bunyip.cc.uq.edu.au 983836999 2628 130.102.176.3 (6 Mar 2001 00:03:19 GMT) X-Complaints-To: news@uq.edu.au NNTP-Posting-Date: 6 Mar 2001 00:03:19 GMT X-Newsreader: NN version 6.5.6 (NOV) Cache-Post-Path: eeyore.dstc.edu.au!unknown@sunburn.dstc.edu.au X-Cache: nntpcache 2.3.3 (see http://www.nntpcache.org/) Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!enews.sgi.com!news.xtra.co.nz!news.mel.connect.com.au!news1.optus.net.au!optus!bunyip.cc.uq.edu.au!ggm Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:76338 [assuming I can find a drive...] Whats the current experience in tape degredation for older 1600/9600 reels stored badly? Moisture/Temp variations, age. Mine are 8+ years since last read. Data is up to 15-18 years old. What are my chances? Are we looking at severe damage to the media? Am I risking the heads on the loaner tapedrive if we try a read? How much do the various 'cleaner' machines shred data when they try to remove surface cruft? Are the various cartridge formats proving safer? Some of my data is on them as well. It could be I don't have to panic as much if I can expect to read more from the cartridge than the reel. Is the centre (nearer the hub, protected by more layers) more likely to be better (less dirt, less oxygen) or worse? (more mag-printhrough risks) -George ###### From: Tim Shoppa Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: how readable are old tapes nowadays? Date: 6 Mar 2001 07:58:13 -0800 Organization: Newsguy News Service [http://newsguy.com] Lines: 40 Message-ID: <9831el0fni@drn.newsguy.com> References: <97s61g$hb2$1@freenet9.carleton.ca> <897603610D19539D.D8C8D61C8CB7CF2D.7EAA97978EFF44AE@lp.airnews.net> <983836999.145668@eeyore.dstc.edu.au> NNTP-Posting-Host: p-596.newsdawg.com X-Newsreader: Direct Read News v2.65 Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news-fra1.dfn.de!news-koe1.dfn.de!news-stu1.dfn.de!news-mue1.dfn.de!news.augsburg.net!news-spur1.maxwell.syr.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newsfeed.stanford.edu!pln-w!spln!dex!extra.newsguy.com!newsp.newsguy.com!drn Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:76313 In article <983836999.145668@eeyore.dstc.edu.au>, ggm@dstc.edu.au says... > > >[assuming I can find a drive...] > >Whats the current experience in tape degredation for older 1600/9600 reels >stored badly? I'm a little confused as to what a "9600 reel" is. Maybe you mean 6250 BPI 9-track? (Assuming that the 1600 you refer to is 1600 BPI 9-track...) >Moisture/Temp variations, age. Mine are 8+ years since last >read. Data is up to 15-18 years old. What are my chances? Probably pretty good. >Are we looking at severe damage to the media? Am I risking the heads >on the loaner tapedrive if we try a read? The worst case is that the binder on the surface of the magtape has turned gummy. In severe cases, *all* the oxide may come off the tape and stick to the head when tape motion stops. The cure is to never stop tape motion, but with your hardware/software you may not have this choice. >Are the various cartridge formats proving safer? Some of my data is >on them as well. It could be I don't have to panic as much if I can >expect to read more from the cartridge than the reel. Depends on the cartridge. If there are rubber parts in the cartridge, these may have decayed much more rapidly than the magnetic media. Worst case is that the rubber has turned to sticky oozy goo, which gets all over the tape when you attempt to read it. Opening the cartridge to check and replace the decaying rubber parts is often called for. Many cartridge designs also have a rubber roller in the drive to move the tape or a puck on the cartridge. These should also be checked! Tim. ###### From: "Nico de Jong" Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers References: <97s61g$hb2$1@freenet9.carleton.ca> <897603610D19539D.D8C8D61C8CB7CF2D.7EAA97978EFF44AE@lp.airnews.net> <983836999.145668@eeyore.dstc.edu.au> Subject: Sv: how readable are old tapes nowadays? Lines: 35 Organization: farum data aps MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2314.1300 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.2314.1300 Message-ID: Date: Tue, 6 Mar 2001 18:27:20 +0100 NNTP-Posting-Host: 130.228.39.91 X-Complaints-To: abuse@uni2.dk X-Trace: news.get2net.dk 983902167 130.228.39.91 (Tue, 06 Mar 2001 19:09:27 MET) NNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 06 Mar 2001 19:09:27 MET Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!newsfeed-zh.ip-plus.net!news.ip-plus.net!news.tesion.net!news.belwue.de!news-stu1.dfn.de!news-koe1.dfn.de!news-han1.dfn.de!news-nue1.dfn.de!uni-erlangen.de!newsfeed1.telenordia.se!algonet!newspeer.highwayone.net!shale.ftech.net!news.ftech.net!newsfeed.icl.net!feed2.onemain.com!feed1.onemain.com!news-spur1.maxwell.syr.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newsfeed1.uni2.dk!news.get2net.dk!not-for-mail Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:76336 George Michaelson skrev i en = nyhedsmeddelelse:983836999.145668@eeyore.dstc.edu.au... >=20 > [assuming I can find a drive...] >=20 > Whats the current experience in tape degredation for older 1600/9600 = reels > stored badly? Moisture/Temp variations, age. Mine are 8+ years since = last > read. Data is up to 15-18 years old. What are my chances? drive: find/steal/borrow/buy a drive like Qualstar 1052 (i've some in = stock). They are so slow, that you can almost always keep them = streaming... However, you need a Pertic compatible controller like Overland TX8 or = TXi16. The degradation is very much dependent on how the tapes are stored. = Temperatur fluctuations are killers. The best way to decide if it is worth the trouble, is to take some of = the (feared) worst tapes, and try to read them. Normally, a rule of thumb is to rewind/wind a tape every 2-3 years, and = rewrite them every 5- 6 years. As you have read them 8 years ago, there should be a fair chance. I would be willing to try to read a few tapes, so you can dedice if you = want to go on with the project Take a look at www.farumdata.dk Have a nice day Nico