How do I mount a SCSI tape drive?

[stokes]

I can see the drive being detected while the system is booted but don't know how to mount it. I have tried this so far:

root@mail:~# mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/tape
mount: mount point /mnt/tape does not exist
root@mail:~# ls /mnt
cdrom/  floppy/  hd/
root@mail:~# mkdir /mnt/tape
root@mail:~# mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/tape
mount: /dev/sda1 is not a valid block device
root@mail:~# mount /dev/sda /mnt/tape
mount: /dev/sda is not a valid block device
root@mail:~# mount /dev/sdb /mnt/tape
mount: /dev/sdb is not a valid block device
root@mail:~# mount /dev/sg0 /mnt/tape
mount: /dev/sg0 is not a block device

Are there any other options I'm missing?

[stokes]

I just noticed this when I did a dmesg |more:

SCSI subsystem driver Revision: 1.00
kmod: failed to exec /sbin/modprobe -s -k scsi_hostadapter, errno = 2
kmod: failed to exec /sbin/modprobe -s -k scsi_hostadapter, errno = 2
kmod: failed to exec /sbin/modprobe -s -k scsi_hostadapter, errno = 2

Not sure what it means though!

[avatar7]

Hello,

you can not mount a tape like a hard disk because it is a sequemtial device.
Use commands like
# tar -xf /dev/st0
# tar -tf /dev/st0
# tar -cf /dev/st0 <files,directories>
to get access to the tape (read, read inventory, write)

Another helpfully tape command is mt.
for example:
# mt -f /dev/st0 status
# mt -f /dev/st0 eject

Use man mt or man tar for more information.

CU