[flytape8490]

I've been wondering-

What happens if you try and install and run an OS on a tape drive?

I know it shouldn't be done because of how inefficient these are for anything but backup, but the thought still tempts me. I can't seem to find any examples of this being done online.

I guess the first question, is it even possible to get the os to boot from tape in the first place?

Has anyone a tape to spare in the name of science?

[JohnWill]

Well, that would depend on the O/S in question. I know way back in the IBM big iron days, their DOS would boot from a tape, but it was totally memory resident once it was booted. Clearly, something like Windows is never going to boot from a tape!

The O/S versions like Linux Live CD's that boot from a CD and then run memory resident could probably boot from a tape drive if you had a BIOS that even knew the tape drive exists.

[JDWARMER]

I have a vic 20 already set up for you.

[Frank4d]

If you get an OS to boot from a tape drive, next try a punched paper tape reader.

[Bryce98]

Thats a long punchcard! LOL

[JohnWill]

Originally Posted by Frank4d

If you get an OS to boot from a tape drive, next try a punched paper tape reader.

I used to boot my diagnostic test system from a paper tape, it was the National Semiconductor PACER, circa 1975.

[zx10guy]

Well, despite the data densities you can get on modern tape units, they are horribly inefficient for data reads especially when you have to do random seeks. The data is laid down in a sequential manner and to read data on a tape which is not in a serial contiguous manner will take what amounts to being forever in the realm of performance related I/O.

In today's environment, there's no reason to attempt to use tape in the manner you propose for data density, performance, or cost reasons. You can get fast, large hard drives for a fraction of a cost of "budget" end DDS2 tape unit. And lets not talk about LTO type tapes. Tape is only treated as a backup medium.

[JohnWill]

FWIW, I have a DDS2 tape drive in the closet, it's lived there for several years.

[zx10guy]

Well, I've got one in an old Compaq Proliant 3000 server. When ever I get around to messing around with it, I plan on turning it into a VTL. You know....just because.....

[JohnWill]

How does one turn a tape drive into VTL? Maybe I don't understand what you're doing...

[zx10guy]

Not turning the tape drive into a VTL. Turning the server it is installed in into a VTL. The Compaq server I have has a Smart Array RAID controller running 10 SCSI Ultra2 hard drives. I can play with how VTLs function and be able to stage the data into tier 3 storage and then maybe I can set up something where the data gets backed up on a schedule to the DDS2 tape drive. Looks good on paper anyways.

[JohnWill]

OK, that makes more sense.

Let me know if you need a spare DDS2 tape drive.