Date   : Wed, 20 Dec 2006 23:01:34 -0000
From   : BBCMailingList@... (Ian Wolstenholme)
Subject: Digital Services Digistore Tape Drive

Thanks for the ROM and the command list, really very much
appreciated.  In record time, I've downloaded the ROM image,
transferred it via my Busbi USB drive from the PC without
the floppy drive to the PC with the floppy drive, copied it
onto a 720K DOS disc, put it in my Master 512 with 3.5"
drive, loaded into RAM, saved it back onto the Econet,
copied it onto a 5.25" DFS disc on another station and
brought it back down here and SRLOADed it into the 
Master with the Digistore attached!

And it works!! Although I haven't recovered anything
from the tapes.  There are 4 tapes, one unmarked and
loose and three in cases marked "Thursday A", "Friday B"
and "Friday C".  The loose one and "Friday B" say "Bad
tape" when I try to use them and give "Medium error"
and "Recover error" respectively, whilst the other two
tapes say "Blank check" so they must be empty.

As soon as I get a cable knocked up to connect both the
Winchester disc and the Digistore at the same time (why
did Acorn put that 37-pin D-type socket on the back??!!!)
I'll have a go at backup up and restoring and see what
happens.

Best wishes,



Ian

----- Original Message -----
From: Pete Turnbull [mailto:pete@...]
To: bbc-micro@...
Sent: Wed, 20 Dec 2006 18:39:22 +0000
Subject: Re: [BBC-Micro] Digital Services Digistore Tape Drive

Pete Turnbull wrote:

> Afraid I don't think I still have the manual, though I will look when I 
> get home.

Surprisingly (or not), I do.  It's not very big, so I'll try to scan it 
tomorrow.

The commands are:

*STREAMER BACKUP
   backs up winchester to tape, prompts for more tapes if required.
*STREAMER RESTORE
   restores winchester from tape.  Prompts you before doing it; press 
'C' to continue.
*CAT
   lists tape contents, detailing name of winchester, time and date of 
backup, tape length, tape sequence number.  The name is taken from the 
title of the $ directory of the winchester, even if it's an Econet file 
server disk.
*STREAMER ERASE
   not really needed, but useful if you want to wipe a tape
*STREAMER REWIND
   rewinds to BOT (what did you expect?)
*STREAMER VERIFY
   checks tape by reading entire volume checking for CRC or ERC errors

Routine maintenance: clean the read/write head and tape sensor openings 
after every 8 hours of tape motion, and after every new (previously 
unused) tape, using a lint-free swab and isopropyl alcohol.


_______________________________________________
bbc-micro mailing list
bbc-micro@...
http://lists.cloud9.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/bbc-micro