Re: TAR failed to extract multi-volume archive

[Paul Eggert]

> From: "Jeremy Jin" <address@hidden>
> Date: Thu, 19 Sep 2002 10:27:03 -0600

>    tar -xMvf /dev/rmt/0n /mydir
> 
> It began to extract, but when reach EOT, it shown IO error and exit

Sounds like you may have a bad tape, or a device driver that doesn't
properly reflect EOT and/or EOF to the operating system.

>    tar -xMvf /dev/rmt/0n /mydir
> 
> It could not extract the first file, but said,
> 
>    "can not extract filenamexxxx, it is continued from another volume"
> 
> and then contiue to extract other files.
> 
> What shall i do?

You can try using dd to copy the two tapes to a file, and then ask tar
to read from those files.  This will require some expertise, though.

You've lost only one file on that tape, so the crucial thing is
restoring that file.

(The first rule of backups is to practice restores before you actually
need them....)