Re: Is a "test" tape really necessary?

I remember 1/4" cartridge test tapes used to be shorter, but I do not
think the same is true for LTO. What's the difference in length between
the test tape and the production tape shown here?
http://pic.dhe.ibm.com/infocenter/powersys/v3r1m5/topic/iphdt/fc5755_tapecartridges.htm

or here:
http://pic.dhe.ibm.com/infocenter/powersys/v3r1m5/topic/p7hdt/fcEU11_tapecartridges.htm


IBM used to have all sorts of odd lengths of 1/4" tapes. I suspect that
part of it was to keep PTF tapes as short as possible to discourage people
from ordering a lot of PTF's just to get free tapes.

That, and 1/4" cartridges often ran to the end and then rewound upon load
just to retention the tape. A very time consuming process that drove some
people up the wall. Personally, I was totally cool with that since some
other hardware I used before IBM rarely had a successful backup if you
didn't retention the tape. A process I still do occasionally with VHS
tapes (if any of you still remember watching movies on those).


Rob Berendt