ftbad -- Command

Manipulate bad-block list on a floppy-tape cartridge
ftbad [-rw] [device]

The command ftbad  lets you manipulate the list of  bad blocks on a floppy-
tape cartridge.  It recognizes the following options:

-r Read the  list of bad blocks from floppy-tape  cartridge, and write them
   to the  standard-output device.  The  output will appear  something like
   the following:

       557
       1033
       89640

-w Read a list  of bad blocks from the standard-input  device, and write it
   onto the floppy-tape cartridge.

device
   The floppy-tape  device to manipulate.  If  you do not name  a device on
   ftbad's command line, by default it uses /dev/ft, which rewinds the tape
   upon close.   For a list  of tape devices  that you can  use the Lexicon
   entry for tape.

Example

To modify the bad block list for a cartridge, do the following:

-> First, use the command:

       ftbad -r > badlist

This reads the list of bad blocks and writes it into file badlist.

->   Second, edit  badlist. Each line in  this file will name  only one bad
     block, in decimal notation.

->   Finally, write  the edited list back onto the  tape cartridge with the
     command:

         ftbad -w < badlist

See Also

commands,
ft,
tape

Notes

Do not change  the bad block list of a  tape that contains data you wish to
retrieve.  You  should use ftbad only  when you see repeated  I/O errors at
the same  block on a tape  and wish to mark that block  as being bad before
you reuse the tape.  Caveat utilitor!

© 2012 by Stephen A. Ness