Advice for tape drive repair / maintenance

[Curtis H. Wilbar Jr.]

Joachim Thiemann wrote:
> On 12/18/06, Al Kossow <aek at bitsavers.org> wrote:
>> This is the classic failure mode for the rollers. Pressure/Temperature
>> causing breakdown of the rubber.
>
>> There is no way to prevent it. The rubber had already decomposed, and
>> the elevated temperature caused what was left of the bonds to change
>> state.
>
> Hmmm, my next idea - just for obtaining the data, not the long-term
> preservation of the drive - is to write a quick and dirty script or C
> program to read the data off the drive slooooowly.  After all, it took
> a considerable number of minutes of the drive going at full speed to
> cause the rubber to fail.
>
> If I read one block, then pause for a bunch of seconds, I think I
> could do this in a careful enough matter.  The problem is I only have
> one shot at this, so I should give a generous cool-off period.

I'd say get the newest drive you can... inspect the roller beforehand...
then run a scrappable tape through it a couple of times... re-inspect the
roller...  if ok... then recover your tapes.

I doubt the method you propose would work.... heat is a factor... but
pressure is likely a factor too...  probably still make goo... just more 
slowly.

This is all my opinion of course.... I'm not saying I'm right... just 
how I'd
go about it.

-- Curt

>
> Joe.