[Simh] Running a BACKUP job on TOPS-10

[Timothe Litt]

On 05-Apr-15 00:26, Michael Short wrote:
> I have been trying to run a BACKUP job but I can't seem to
> get the commands right to get the tape mounted. I keep getting
> the message ?BKPCOM Can't open MAG tape when I issue the TAPE
> command.
>
> I think it has something to do with the ALLOCATE or MOUNT, but MOUNT
> queues and never quits. It appears that MOUNT doesn't know that a tape
> has been attached.
>
> If someone has done this before could they give me a sequence of SIMH and
> TOPS-10 commands to get the tape recognized?
>
> Thanks. 
>
By default, in reasonably recent versions of TOPS-10, tape drives are
assigned to GALAXY.

Assuming GALAXY is running (as it is in a default install/boot), you
have two choices:
respond to the mount request or have galaxy release the tape drive.

Either way, you need to run OPR from an account with operator privs.

.mount mta backup /label:un /write ; etc
.r opr
opr> show queue mount-requests
opr> show status tape-drives
opr> recognize mta0: ; this will cause the tape to be looked to
determine whether it's labeled
opr> set tape mta0: initialize /... to label a tape
opr> identify mta0 request-id 123 ;or whatever.  Not necessary if
labeled tape matches request and volume recognition is enabled
opr> identify mta0 volume backup; labeled tape
opr> exit
. r backup
/tape backup ; not necessary as the default is the logical name 'backup'
/rewind
...
dismount backup
.r opr
opr> set tape-drive mta0: unavailable
Because learning about tapes would require reading the manuals...
^z
opr> exit
.assign mta0 backup
.r backup
/rewind
...
.deassign backup
.r opr
opr> set tape mta0 available
opr> exit

Although opr takes a little more effort, labeled tapes are the better
choice, as backup will switch volumes automagically, tapes are assigned
to users with protections, they're cataloged, etc.

Speaking of which, also see:
opr> enter catalog
opr> ?

If you catalog your backup tape sets and have volume recognition
enabled, GALAXY will do all the heavy lifting.  You just issue a mount
request for the volume set, attach the tape, and go.  GALAXY will
automatically see the tape, identify it, and associate it with the
volume and mount request - and subsequent volume changes.  All you do is
admire it (and turn the next manual page.)

On the simh side, you use 'attach' to associate a drive with a tape
file, and 'detach' to deassociate.  In current simh, you can do this
without stopping the simulation; the OS sees on-line and off-line
interrupts, and it's magic from there.

See the OS commands, batch reference, and operator's manuals for
details.  And .help mount, .help backup and opr> ? ...

When you backup /print (or .dir /s backup:)  your tape's directory
listing, you'll need similar commands in simh and opr to get the spooled
output.  But you didn't ask about that and it's in the same manuals :-)

Consider a weekly batch job to do the backups.  (batch reference
manual).  Or you can script it with mic.

Life is easier with multiple terminal windows.  I use one for the simh
console, one with opr always open, and one or more for user-level work. 
Simplifies keeping the separate streams of work straight - as does
having reasonably big scroll-back buffers on each.

Welcome (back) to a real OS

Oh, except for the utility (dumper vs. backup) and the command prompt,
tops-20 works the same way.  GALAXY supports both religions.


This communication may not represent my employer's views,
if any, on the matters discussed. 



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