"Unable to get major 9 for SCSI tapes"

[irvine vuosaari hai fi]

Hello everybody

I have been trying to get a tape drive to work with linux but as yet
have not been successful.

I think that I have done pretty much everything that I should have
to get this device working.

I compiled a kernel that had been patched to include code from the
maker of the scsi controller - the code relating to scsi and the scsi
adapter were compiled into the kernel and not as modules.

When I boot all seems to go reasonable well and I get the following:


Sep  2 15:58:58 p861-14 kernel: DC395x (TRM-S1040) SCSI driver 1.26, 2000-02-25
Sep  2 15:58:58 p861-14 kernel: DC395x: Used settings: AdaptID=7
Sep  2 15:58:58 p861-14 kernel: DC395 : Connectors: ext68 int68  Termination: Auto Low High
Sep  2 15:58:58 p861-14 kernel: DC395x (TRM-S1040): 1 adapters found
Sep  2 15:58:58 p861-14 kernel: scsi0 : Tekram DC395U/UW/F DC315/U V1.26, 2000-02-25
Sep  2 15:58:58 p861-14 kernel: scsi : 1 host.
Sep  2 15:58:58 p861-14 kernel: DC395x: Target 00:  Sync: 200ns Offset 8 (05.0 MB/s)
Sep  2 15:58:58 p861-14 kernel:   Vendor: HP        Model: HP35480A          Rev: 1009
Sep  2 15:58:58 p861-14 kernel:   Type:   Sequential-Access                  ANSI SCSI revision: 02
Sep  2 15:58:58 p861-14 kernel: Detected scsi tape st0 at scsi0, channel 0, id 0, lun 0
Sep  2 15:58:58 p861-14 kernel: scsi : detected 1 SCSI generic 1 SCSI tape total.

But I also notice the following error message:

Sep  2 15:58:58 p861-14 kernel: Unable to get major 9 for SCSI tapes

After the machine has booted I enter the command mt -f /dev/st0 status
and get the following:


  [root p861-14 /root]# mt -f /dev/st0 status
  SCSI 2 tape drive:
  File number=-1, block number=-1, partition=0.
  Tape block size 0 bytes. Density code 0x0 (default).
  Soft error count since last status=0
  General status bits on (50000):
   DR_OPEN IM_REP_EN
  
When I try to retension the tape I get the following:

  [root p861-14 /root]# mt -f /dev/st0 retension
  /dev/st0: Input/output error

Originally I was thinking that the tape may be dirty. When I put the
catridge in the tape drive the two lights on the front blink continually
and then the tape drive spits the cartridge out. If I push it again it 
stays in. I read somewhere that this usually means that the tape drive
needs cleaning. 

Then I noticed the error message in my logs and decided to investigate that.

Any ideas anyone. Troubleshooting suggestions most welcome also.

TIA   :o)

t.irvine
-- 

 Whoever thinks a faultless piece to see,
  Thinks what ne'er was, nor is, nor ne'er shall be.

     Alexander Pope, An Essay On Criticism.