[aklug] Forensics: looking for tape drive

[Greg Schmitz]

On 3/22/17 06:51 AM, Royce Williams wrote:
> Greg, is there a way to post a picture of the labels/model info on the 
> tape itself, as a solid starting point for investigating options?
>
> On Wed, Mar 22, 2017 at 6:40 AM, Royce Williams <royce at tycho.org 
> <mailto:royce at tycho.org>> wrote:
>
>     The drive is probably something along these lines:
>
>     http://www.ebay.com/sch/Tape-Data-Cartridge-Drives/39976/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=%22sun%22+%228mm%22&_sop=15
>     <http://www.ebay.com/sch/Tape-Data-Cartridge-Drives/39976/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=%22sun%22+%228mm%22&_sop=15>
>
>
>     ... and the drive specs seem to be specific about tape capacity,
>     so we'd need to find a reasonably good match to hedge our bets.
>
>     Modern NetBSD should probably have both hardware support:
>
>     https://www.netbsd.org/support/hardware/scsipi.html
>     <https://www.netbsd.org/support/hardware/scsipi.html>
>
>     ... as well as software support, using something like one of these
>     options (or Linux methods possible as well):
>
>     http://ask.metafilter.com/73464/Restore-from-SunOS-413-dump-tape-backup
>     <http://ask.metafilter.com/73464/Restore-from-SunOS-413-dump-tape-backup>
>
>     Royce
>
>     On Wed, Mar 22, 2017 at 6:02 AM, Royce Williams <royce at tycho.org
>     <mailto:royce at tycho.org>> wrote:
>
>         To be more precise ... what is the data capacity of the tapes? :)
>
>         Royce
>
>
>         On Wed, Mar 22, 2017 at 5:57 AM, Royce Williams
>         <royce at tycho.org <mailto:royce at tycho.org>> wrote:
>
>             I don't have the tape drive, but I can put out some
>             feelers. What size are the tapes?
>
>             Royce
>
>             On Tue, Mar 21, 2017 at 11:33 AM, Greg Schmitz
>             <greg at amipa.org <mailto:greg at amipa.org>> wrote:
>
>
>                 A local library made an inquiry yesterday about
>                 retrieving files from an 8mm backup tape recorded
>                 using Sun OS 4.1.3.  I'm assuming it was made using an
>                 Exabyte drive of one sort or another. Does anybody
>                 have an old working drive or know of someone locally
>                 who might be able to retrieve the files?
>
>
>
>

The tape is a Maxell "HELICAL-SCAN 8mm DATA CARTRIDGE" 112M Nominal 
Capacity 2.5/5.0 GIGABYTES."
I'm assuming it was produced on a Sun machine since it is labeled: "TAR 
-cvf SUNOS 4.1.3"

Shouldn't be too difficult if a working drive can be found.

FWIW, we have fielded this type of request in the past; though it really 
is outside of our mission.  An enterprising individual could probably 
set-up a side business as a vendor retrieving old tape formats for 
businesses and government entities in Alaska; though I expect budgets 
are not what they used to be.

--greg
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