I am running SCO 5.05 and IDS 7.31. A local vendor set up a new server and transferred my database. When I attempt to an ontape -s -L 0 I get the following error message (always at the 50% completed level).
Archive failed - function write to tape failed - code -1 errno 6.

What's the problem? Is it a permission problem? I've changed all files in usr/informix to user and group informix but that hasn't helped.

Hi,

Please search in errno.h of you operating system.
Also test TAPESIZE = Total Size of tape - 10%

Gustavo.

errno.h shows errno 6 to be "no such device or address". That doesn't tell me much. Why when a backup is 50% complete would I get that message?

Tape size is ok - same as when ontape worked without error. 9000000 kb.

Hi,
Please can you test the following:
Change TAPEDEV=/dev/null, then run ontape. What happend here ?

Gustavo.

Set tapedev = /dev/null Did ontape -s -L 0. Immediate result was "Archive to tape device /dev/null is complete".

Hi,

Very good, ontape work fine.
Now, please set TAPEDEV=you tape drive,
set TAPEBLK=1024, next run ontape -s -L 0

Gustavo.

Set tapeblk to 1024. Same error: function write to tape failed - code 1 errno 6

Hi,

Excuse me, please, can you test permissions for device tape. Not Informix,
Can Informix write to device tape ?, Please use command dd or tar for write on tape to fill this, as user Informix. What happend ?.
Gustavo.

First, many thanks for your help. I'm having problems understanding your last post. You seem to be asking if Informix can write to the tape device - I'm assuming it can since the ontape gets 50% complete before the error occurs. In other words Inforimix writes to the tape until it encounters the problem.

Do you want me to log on as user Informix and try to use the tape? I'm using LoneTar as a backup and it works fine when I'm logged in as root. I'll try a LoneTar incremental backup when I'm logged in as user Informix and see if I have problems.

Hi,
Please take it easy,
If Informix wrote back-up to /dev/null and not error encounter, then the problem not is Informix.
I think that, Ontape should ask you, a change of tape an then continue with the back-up.
Please test that permission of ontape should be 6755.

Gustavo.

Backup only requires one tape. UNIX file permission for ontape is 757 (rwx r-x rwx) owner and group Informix.

Hi,

Plase can you send me:
1) ls -l /dev/<TAPE DEVICES>
2) ls -l $INFORMIXDIR/bin/ontape

Gustavo.

Hi,

Please look at a file called IDSfiles and/or IDSfiles.org in
$INFORMIXDIR/etc.

It lists all the correct file permissions, owner, and group
permissions for IDS to function properly.

It's possible that after IDS 7.31 was installed, the vendor failed
to execute the "RUN_AS_ROOT" script that will set permissions
and ownership correctly.

ontape should be owned by root, group is informix, and file permissions
are rws-r-sr-x on all my servers with IDS7.31 and IDS9.30

Good luck - Mike

ls -l /dev/rct0 = c rw-rw-rw- 5 root root 46, date

ls -l /usr/informix/bin/ontape = -rwx r-x rwx 1 root informix

Explain the significance of the 6 in Gustav's description of ontape permission as being 6755. The 755 indicates rwx for owner and rx for group and anyone else. correct? Also, I've never encountered a file permission of s as in rws-r-sr-x.

IDSfiles shows bin/ontape as root informix 6755 BRAND VRSN SUG

My current persmisions for ontape are 757 owner root group informix.

Is there any significance to how far ontape completes the backup before the error occurs? Prior to changing ontape owner to root the process always got 50% complete before aborting - now, with root as owner, it got to 40% complete then aborted.

Hi,

I suggest that correct the permissions.
One question: can you run the back-up in other unit tape ?.
The 6 in permissions is "set user id" of root because the ontape utility, need access to structures the operating system that Informix does not have permissions.