Convert Data To Dvd From Hp Dds-1 Data Catridge 4Gb

[ihightower]

How can I Convert data from HP DDS-1 Data Cartridge C5706A 4GB to DVD or to my USB Harddisk..

Please see image below.

I have 3 of those with loads of files. 4GB x 3. (from 2001)

Is there any such service here in Bangkok? Cost?

Please advise urgently.

[kaspercat]

What backup program did you use? I may still have one of these Drives and SCSI card to extract the data.

[howto]

siamect, please help.

Hi ihightower,

DDS-1 tapes have a life expectancy of 10 years, barring excessive use.

So you are on the edge (more info later about this).

It will be impossible to find a DDS-1 tape unit now,

unless it is from people like "kaspercat" or I,

or a Professional Company that specializes in this.

I have a WangDat 3400 DX (Rexon-Tecmar) DDS-1 unit.

Cost 20K baht in 1996.

I am 95% certain I can not read your tapes due to they being compressed.

Then there is the storage and age issue.

I have never seen a DDS-I~II~III or DLT unit that was not SCSI based.

Perhaps "kaspercat" has a HP unit that can help.

I only say that because you mentioned you tapes are HP.

So I assume the tape unit was HP.

Else, you need a Professional Company from Europe or the USA to do it for big $$$$.

I would forget "urgent", and instead think in terms of perhaps 2 weeks (or more).

There will be several issues involved here.

The native capacity of DDS1 is 2GB. It is uncompressed.

Ignore the marketing BS from the mfgr.

Compressed is 4GB max.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Data_Storage

Compression is performed at the hardware level at the tape device, not in software.

This is bad as each mfgr uses different propriety algorithm's.

Any DDS-1 tape device can read native format uncompressed data.

If compressed, one needs a "tape device of that brand used in the initial backup".

That is the first "Gotcha".

The software has (almost) nothing to do with this.

It simply tells the tape device to use, or not use compression.

This will likely be your first problem.

I never use compression.

My customers do not use compression, they/I use more tapes.

So it is important to know what "brand" of "tape device" that recorded the tape(s).

Most likely HP. Also good to know the model number of that device.

Possible a HP 6000E series.

The second problem you may encounter is...

how well did you store these tapes?

Mold and fungus "love" all magnetic tape.

If the tape is affected with this,

one may very well be in for a difficult (expensive) recovery.

The tape will require cleaning prior to extraction.

Best left to a professional business that focuses on data recovery.

Good luck to find such in Thailand.

The magnetic oxide on the tape has a tendency to "bleed" to the sides of the stripe.

This causes degradation of the signal, a reduction of replay quality,

and if not done with a high quality drive using high quality tape well cared for

(concerning heat and humidity),

it may be near impossible 10~20~30 years later to play the tape

without lots of drop outs, banding, noise, or it will not play at all.

Issue's with old tapes: heat, moisture and age

(If your tapes suffer from degradation, perhaps cleaning will make them playable.

More info here...

The Benefits of Cleaning Magnetic Tape (from 2008)

http://blog.datadev.com/2008/06/19/the-benefits-of-cleaning-magnetic-tape/

<some paraphrased snippets>...

- Perhaps the most serious is physical failure from the introduction of

mold, fungus, and dirt to the surface of the tape, which happens frequently with tape.

This usually makes the tape completely unusable.

If a tape as such is played it will destroy the drive's read head in short order.

(This will trash the tape drive transport system and the head unit).

Perhaps cleaning the tape surface can restore these tapes for reuse

without any damage to the tape or loss of information on the tape.

(This is not a easy task to undertake, but there are DIY methods. Google it.)

- A second serious failure is caused by heat and moisture.

If older tapes have not been properly stored and/or cared for

binder hydrolysis and chemical degradation can cause tape layers to “stick” together.

Layers of tape that adhere together will prevent the tape drive motors

from advancing at the speed required to correctly read the tape.

Usually when playing the tape, the magnetic oxide is ripped from the binder.

<end snippet>

Ok, let us assume one was able to get the data off the tape(s),

to a external drive.

Now one needs to use a software app,

which will burn a "data" DVD disc (different that a DVD movie media format").

Do use the best media one can get.

Do check the 1'st burn, if ok do another 1'st burn. You have 2 disc's.

Do this per each successive tape till they are all done.

Apologies for the long post.

Best of luck.

[ihightower]

What backup program did you use? I may still have one of these Drives and SCSI card to extract the data.

Thank you for your replies

howto: very comprehensive.. thanks.. i will go through the points.

I said urgent.. but certainly I can wait ... 2 weeks or more... if the end result is I can get the data in a few weeks time.

kaspercat:

Thank you.. I used unix tar... writing to a HP Tape Drive.. in around the Year 2001.

Any chance for your assistance.

[ihightower]

What backup program did you use? I may still have one of these Drives and SCSI card to extract the data.

Thank you for your replies

howto: very comprehensive.. thanks.. i will go through the points.

I said urgent.. but certainly I can wait ... 2 weeks or more... if the end result is I can get the data in a few weeks time.

kaspercat:

Thank you.. I used unix tar... writing to a HP Tape Drive.. in around the Year 2001.

Any chance for your assistance.

howto: it is likely that the data may not be compressed... but I am not sure..

I used tar command and I don't really know what the exact command was.. tar -czf /dev st0 .... or any other..

[howto]

Perhaps I will answer you this weekend.

Honestly I will tell you from a 25+ year SysAdmin,

Ummm, under a Unix based system,

once the drive has been set to compress data it will continue to do so.

After all those systems run 24x7.

It is very obvious you do not know Unix based systems or commands well.

The code you offered would do nothing if entered upon the command line.

There is much more to be added to that command.

I am hesitant to offer any further advice as this may not be up-and-up.

I mean really, no user will/would have this much data on that type of system.

Then, in the year 2001.

This much data means you have the entire app and it's database.

Or perhaps the image of the entire disk structure.

Plus much, much more.

As in the private directories stored on the system disc's.

I will think about it.

[siamect]

The code you offered would do nothing if entered upon the command line.

There is much more to be added to that command.

We use tar and ufsdump/restore on our Solaris machines... for backups every year or so...(use a different system to take care of the data that is changing)

The tar command is really that simple... almost... although it has tons of options

I don't have the W/I for it here/now but a good start I found here:

http://www.cyberciti...-command-howto/

Martin

[howto]

^ Thanks siamect,

yes that command does need additional items.

And ihightower, thanks for the PM.

The data is .txt, .doc, autocad files, video files and such.

Yesterday I took a pic of "mold-Fungus on magnetic media, as I mentioned in post #2.

This is VCR media, but it clearly shows what I was speaking of.

( BTW, this also applies to thread http://www.thaivisa....314-vhs-to-dvd/ )

Do be aware this affects ALL tape media from

- floppy discs, Reel-2-Reel, VCR, DAT (camcorder), DDS (1~2~3) and DLT,-LVT tapes

actually any and all magnetic media.

Perhaps tomorrow I can continue.

If there is anyone whom has issue with what I have posted,

please say so and point out any mistakes.