17 Jul
2025
17 Jul
'25
9:20 a.m.
Hi all,
I recently got my hands on what I believe is a 9-track tape, dated 1986, which has some
old survey data stored on it from a university research project several decades ago.
I'm hoping to be able to extract the information from the tape and convert it to a
more modern data file accessible to the public, but I don't know very much about these
tapes nor do I have 9-track tape equipment.
I'm wondering if anyone who is more familiar with this technology can tell me it's
even still possible to extract this data, and if so, is there's anyone here who can
try and run the tape, or knows someone with a working 9-track tape drive?
The frame is not in the best shape, but the tape is hopefully fine. Here's a photo:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PrdBnIWUO4-317ZSwqvY-TD6dHr2CxC8/view?usp=…
Thanks,
Luke
17 Jul
17 Jul
9:50 a.m.
Location ?
It could well be possible - I have had 30+ yo tapes read
B
-----Original Message-----
From: Luke Parkerson via cctalk [mailto:cctalk@classiccmp.org]
Sent: 17 July 2025 13:21
To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org
Cc: lukeparkerson1(a)gmail.com
Subject: [cctalk] 9-Track Tape Extraction
Hi all,
I recently got my hands on what I believe is a 9-track tape, dated 1986, which has some
old survey data stored on it from a university research project several decades ago.
I'm hoping to be able to extract the information from the tape and convert it to a
more modern data file accessible to the public, but I don't know very much about these
tapes nor do I have 9-track tape equipment.
I'm wondering if anyone who is more familiar with this technology can tell me it's
even still possible to extract this data, and if so, is there's anyone here who can
try and run the tape, or knows someone with a working 9-track tape drive?
The frame is not in the best shape, but the tape is hopefully fine. Here's a photo:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PrdBnIWUO4-317ZSwqvY-TD6dHr2CxC8/view?usp=…
Thanks,
Luke
10:29 a.m.
Glad to hear it, thanks.
I'm based in the North East of the US. If you or anyone closer by has a tape drive, I
can look into some options to get it to you.
Luke
10:36 a.m.
This is something Dave McGuire could assist with at the LSSM, too, I wager.
On Thu, Jul 17, 2025 at 3:35 PM Luke Parkerson via cctalk
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
Glad to hear it, thanks.
I'm based in the North East of the US. If you or anyone closer by has a tape drive, I
can look into some options to get it to you.
Luke
--
-Jon
+44 7792 149029
12:45 p.m.
On 7/17/25 09:36, Jonathan Katz via cctalk wrote:
This is something Dave McGuire could assist with at
the LSSM, too, I wager.
Yup, I donated two CDC keystone drives to the LSSM, but they
are 1600/6250 only. I did donate a Pertec 800/1600 drive to
them, but I don't know if they have a controller/formatter
for that.
Jon
12:48 p.m.
On 7/17/2025 10:36 AM, Jonathan Katz via cctalk wrote:
This is something Dave McGuire could assist with at
the LSSM, too, I wager.
Even I still have a 9-track tape. Doesn't everybody? :-)
Mine is SCSI so I can use it on any of a number of different systems
although I have to admit I haven't run it in years.
bill
3:03 p.m.
On 2025-07-17 10:29, Luke Parkerson via cctalk wrote:
Glad to hear it, thanks.
I'm based in the North East of the US. If you or anyone closer by has a tape drive, I
can look into some options to get it to you.
I am in Maine, doesn't go much further north/east :)
How was the tape stored?
10:37 a.m.
On 7/17/25 08:20, Luke Parkerson via cctalk wrote:
Hi all,
I recently got my hands on what I believe is a 9-track tape, dated 1986, which has some
old survey data stored on it from a university research project several decades ago.
I'm hoping to be able to extract the information from the tape and convert it to a
more modern data file accessible to the public, but I don't know very much about these
tapes nor do I have 9-track tape equipment.
I'm wondering if anyone who is more familiar with this technology can tell me
it's even still possible to extract this data, and if so, is there's anyone here
who can try and run the tape, or knows someone with a working 9-track tape drive?
The frame is not in the best shape, but the tape is hopefully fine. Here's a photo:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PrdBnIWUO4-317ZSwqvY-TD6dHr2CxC8/view?usp=…
Do you know for sure if it is even 9-track? Back in the
day, there were 7-track tapes, also.
What computer system was it recorded on?
I gave away my 9-track drives some years ago, but there are
some people on here who make this service available.
Jon
1:47 p.m.
On 7/17/2025 9:37 AM, Jon Elson via cctalk wrote:
On 7/17/25 08:20, Luke Parkerson via cctalk wrote:
Given the date of 1986 it is very likely 9 track. Very unlikely to be 7
track that late.
I can read 9 track at 1600 or 6250 BPI and I *think* 800 BPI 9 track as
well. (Would want verify that before the o.p. sent me a tape).
I also have a rudimentary tape baking setup.
Located in Madison, WI
JRJ
Hi all,
I recently got my hands on what I believe is a 9-track tape, dated
1986, which has some old survey data stored on it from a university
research project several decades ago. I'm hoping to be able to
extract the information from the tape and convert it to a more modern
data file accessible to the public, but I don't know very much about
these tapes nor do I have 9-track tape equipment.
I'm wondering if anyone who is more familiar with this technology can
tell me it's even still possible to extract this data, and if so, is
there's anyone here who can try and run the tape, or knows someone
with a working 9-track tape drive?
The frame is not in the best shape, but the tape is hopefully fine.
Here's a photo:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PrdBnIWUO4-317ZSwqvY-TD6dHr2CxC8/view?usp=…
Do you know for sure if it is even 9-track? Back in the day, there
were 7-track tapes, also.
What computer system was it recorded on?
I gave away my 9-track drives some years ago, but there are some
people on here who make this service available.
Jon
2:11 p.m.
On Thu, 2025-07-17 at 13:20 +0000, Luke Parkerson via cctalk wrote:
Hi all,
I recently got my hands on what I believe is a 9-track tape, dated
1986, which has some old survey data stored on it from a university
research project several decades ago. I'm hoping to be able to
extract the information from the tape and convert it to a more modern
data file accessible to the public, but I don't know very much about
these tapes nor do I have 9-track tape equipment.
I'm wondering if anyone who is more familiar with this technology can
tell me it's even still possible to extract this data, and if so, is
there's anyone here who can try and run the tape, or knows someone
with a working 9-track tape drive?
The frame is not in the best shape, but the tape is hopefully fine.
Here's a photo:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PrdBnIWUO4-317ZSwqvY-TD6dHr2CxC8/view?usp=…
Thanks,
Luke
Paul Pierce <prp(a)teleport.com> had 9-track and 7-track tape drives and
software to extract data and cope with errors. I don't know whether he
still has the equipment, but if he doesn't he probably knows who can do
it.
3:42 p.m.
On 7/17/2025 1:11 PM, Van Snyder via cctalk wrote:
On Thu, 2025-07-17 at 13:20 +0000, Luke Parkerson via
cctalk wrote:
No, Paul donated that equipment to another organization: The System
Source Computer Museum in Maryland
https://museum.syssrc.com/
Paul indicated to me that "Almost all of the [ed: his] remaining
computer stuff is there now".
JRJ
Hi all,
I recently got my hands on what I believe is a 9-track tape, dated
1986, which has some old survey data stored on it from a university
research project several decades ago. I'm hoping to be able to
extract the information from the tape and convert it to a more modern
data file accessible to the public, but I don't know very much about
these tapes nor do I have 9-track tape equipment.
I'm wondering if anyone who is more familiar with this technology can
tell me it's even still possible to extract this data, and if so, is
there's anyone here who can try and run the tape, or knows someone
with a working 9-track tape drive?
The frame is not in the best shape, but the tape is hopefully fine.
Here's a photo:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PrdBnIWUO4-317ZSwqvY-TD6dHr2CxC8/view?usp=…
Thanks,
Luke
Paul Pierce <prp(a)teleport.com> had 9-track and 7-track tape drives and
software to extract data and cope with errors. I don't know whether he
still has the equipment, but if he doesn't he probably knows who can do
it.
3:17 p.m.
If none of the other suggestions here work out, you could try contacting Dennis Boone at
Michigan State <drb(a)msu.edu>du>.
1
days inactive
1
days old
11 comments
10 participants
participants (10)
-
Bill Gunshannon -
emanuel stiebler -
Jay Jaeger -
Jon Elson -
Jonathan Katz -
Luke Parkerson -
lukeparkerson1＠gmail.com
-
Martin Bishop -
paul.kimpel＠digm.com -
Van Snyder