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 LTFS on Rocky Linux 8.10

christopher lowdenc's profile image
christopher lowdenc posted Mon May 12, 2025 07:32 AM

Hello

I am struggling to get LTFS formatted tapes in Rocky linux 8.10.

Below, the 2 drives are seen by lsscsi -g but the ltfs app does not see the drives. Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong please?

Thank you

(base) [admin@LOWROCKY bin]$ lsscsi -g
[1:0:0:0]    enclosu ATTO     VirtualSES       0001  -          /dev/sg0 
[1:0:1:0]    tape    IBM      ULTRIUM-HH7      MA71  /dev/st0   /dev/sg1 
[1:0:2:0]    tape    IBM      ULTRIUM-HH7      MA71  /dev/st1   /dev/sg2 
[N:0:1:1]    disk    CT1000P2SSD8__1                            /dev/nvme0n1  -        
[N:1:0:1]    disk    CT1000P5PSSD8__1                           /dev/nvme1n1  -        
[N:2:1:1]    disk    SSDPEKKF512G8 NVMe INTEL 512GB__1          /dev/nvme2n1  -        
(base) [admin@LOWROCKY bin]$ ltfs -o device_list
cce1 LTFS14000I LTFS starting, LTFS version 2.4.7.1 (10515), log level 2.
cce1 LTFS14058I LTFS Format Specification version 2.4.0.
cce1 LTFS14104I Launched by "ltfs -o device_list".
cce1 LTFS14105I This binary is built for Linux (x86_64).
cce1 LTFS14106I GCC version is 8.5.0 20210514 (Red Hat 8.5.0-3).
cce1 LTFS17087I Kernel version: Linux version 4.18.0-553.51.1.el8_10.x86_64 (mockbuild@iad1-prod-build001.bld.equ.rockylinux.org) (gcc version 8.5.0 20210514 (Red Hat 8.5.0-26) (GCC)) #1 SMP Wed Apr 30 20:24:04 UTC 2025 i386.
cce1 LTFS17089I Distribution: Rocky Linux release 8.10 (Green Obsidian).
cce1 LTFS17089I Distribution: NAME="Rocky Linux".
cce1 LTFS17089I Distribution: Rocky Linux release 8.10 (Green Obsidian).
cce1 LTFS17089I Distribution: Rocky Linux release 8.10 (Green Obsidian).
cce1 LTFS17089I Distribution: Rocky Linux release 8.10 (Green Obsidian).
cce1 LTFS17085I Plugin: Loading "sg" tape backend.
Tape Device list:.

christopher lowdenc's profile image
christopher lowdenc posted Tue May 13, 2025 03:44 PM

Occasionally the code will below claim to mount the tape and the drive will make lots of noise, but nothing is mounted. 

Is there a way to confirm that /dev/sg1 is an active mount point?

sudo /opt/ibm/ltfssde/bin/ltfs -o devname=/dev/sg1 /mnt/ltfs
805d LTFS14000I LTFS starting, LTFS version 2.4.7.1 (10515), log level 2.
805d LTFS14058I LTFS Format Specification version 2.4.0.
805d LTFS14104I Launched by "/opt/ibm/ltfssde/bin/ltfs -o devname=/dev/sg1 /mnt/ltfs".
805d LTFS14105I This binary is built for Linux (x86_64).
805d LTFS14106I GCC version is 8.5.0 20210514 (Red Hat 8.5.0-3).
805d LTFS17087I Kernel version: Linux version 4.18.0-553.51.1.el8_10.x86_64 (mockbuild@iad1-prod-build001.bld.equ.rockylinux.org) (gcc version 8.5.0 20210514 (Red Hat 8.5.0-26) (GCC)) #1 SMP Wed Apr 30 20:24:04 UTC 2025 i386.
805d LTFS17089I Distribution: Rocky Linux release 8.10 (Green Obsidian).
805d LTFS17089I Distribution: NAME="Rocky Linux".
805d LTFS17089I Distribution: Rocky Linux release 8.10 (Green Obsidian).
805d LTFS17089I Distribution: Rocky Linux release 8.10 (Green Obsidian).
805d LTFS17089I Distribution: Rocky Linux release 8.10 (Green Obsidian).
805d LTFS14063I Sync type is "time", Sync time is 300 sec.
805d LTFS17085I Plugin: Loading "sg" tape backend.
805d LTFS17085I Plugin: Loading "unified" iosched backend.
805d LTFS14095I Set the tape device write-anywhere mode to avoid cartridge ejection.
805d LTFS30209I Opening a device through sg-ibmtape driver (/dev/sg1).
805d LTFS30250I Opened the SCSI tape device 2.0.1.0 (/dev/sg1).
805d LTFS30207I Vendor ID is IBM     .
805d LTFS30208I Product ID is ULTRIUM-HH7     .
805d LTFS30214I Firmware revision is MA71.
805d LTFS30215I Drive serial is C38E748000.
805d LTFS30285I The reserved buffer size of /dev/sg1 is 1048576.
805d LTFS30205I RSOC (0xa3) returns -20601.
805d LTFS30263I RSOC returns Not Ready to Ready Transition, Medium May Have Changed (-20601) /dev/sg1.
805d LTFS30262I Forcing drive dump.
805d LTFS39802W Unknown SCSI OP code 0x1d, use default timeout.
805d LTFS30253I Saving drive dump to /tmp/ltfs_C38E748000_2025_0513_213136_f.dmp.
805d LTFS39802W Unknown SCSI OP code 0x3c, use default timeout.
805d LTFS39802W Unknown SCSI OP code 0x3c, use default timeout.
805d LTFS39802W Unknown SCSI OP code 0x3c, use default timeout.
805d LTFS39802W Unknown SCSI OP code 0x3c, use default timeout.
805d LTFS39802W Unknown SCSI OP code 0x3c, use default timeout.
805d LTFS39802W Unknown SCSI OP code 0x3c, use default timeout.
805d LTFS39802W Unknown SCSI OP code 0x3c, use default timeout.
805d LTFS39802W Unknown SCSI OP code 0x3c, use default timeout.
805d LTFS39802W Unknown SCSI OP code 0x3c, use default timeout.
805d LTFS39802W Unknown SCSI OP code 0x3c, use default timeout.
805d LTFS39802W Unknown SCSI OP code 0x3c, use default timeout.
805d LTFS39802W Unknown SCSI OP code 0x3c, use default timeout.
805d LTFS39802W Unknown SCSI OP code 0x3c, use default timeout.
805d LTFS39802W Unknown SCSI OP code 0x3c, use default timeout.
805d LTFS39802W Unknown SCSI OP code 0x3c, use default timeout.
805d LTFS30294I Setting up timeout values from vendor and device.
805d LTFS17160I Maximum device block size is 1048576.
805d LTFS11330I Loading cartridge.
805d LTFS30252I Logical block protection is disabled.
805d LTFS11332I Load successful.
805d LTFS17157I Changing the drive setting to write-anywhere mode.
805d LTFS11005I Mounting the volume.
805d LTFS30252I Logical block protection is disabled.
805d LTFS17227I Tape attribute: Vendor = IBM     .
805d LTFS17227I Tape attribute: Application Name = LTFS                            .
805d LTFS17227I Tape attribute: Application Version = 2.4.7.1 .
805d LTFS17227I Tape attribute: Medium Label = .
805d LTFS17228I Tape attribute: Text Localization ID = 0x81.
805d LTFS17227I Tape attribute: Barcode =                                 .
805d LTFS17227I Tape attribute: Application Format Version = 2.4.0           .
805d LTFS17228I Tape attribute: Volume Lock Status = 0x00.
805d LTFS17227I Tape attribute: Media Pool name = .
805d LTFS11031I Volume mounted successfully. NO_BARCODE : Gen = 1 / (a, 5) -> (b, 5) / C38E748000.
805d LTFS14111I Initial setup completed successfully.
805d LTFS14112I Invoke 'mount' command to check the result of final setup.
805d LTFS14113I Specified mount point is listed if succeeded.
christopher lowdenc's profile image
christopher lowdenc posted Tue May 13, 2025 04:17 PM

The 2 HH7 drives are mounted in a NS722TB3 2-bay (5.25”) LTO Tape Drive to Thunderbolt™ 3 Desktop Solution

https://www.netstor.com.tw/product_info.aspx?PID=PID_210927047789048

As they are attached via TB3, maybe that is why they are not showing up in the ltfs drive list.

Also, when I copy files into the /mnt/ltfs folder, a tape drive starts to work, but I cannot work out if I am copying to the LTO or the HD.  On windows, the LTO tape mounts as a separate hard drive in the finder, so is easily identifiable as a separate drive. Is this possible in linux?

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