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From: SYSRUTH@UTORPHYS.BITNET.UUCP
Newsgroups: mod.computers.vax
Subject: Harris tapes
Message-ID: <8612071920.AA15853@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Date: Fri, 5-Dec-86 18:15:00 EST
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.8612071920.AA15853
Posted: Fri Dec  5 18:15:00 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 7-Dec-86 19:46:29 EST
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First of all, the TCP summary is on the way - lots to tell.

Now, the real question:

A friend of mine has a magtape written on a HARRIS/4 (I think that's the
model number - definitely the make, anyway), which contains vital data.
The tape is unlabelled. However, the biggest problem is that the record
and block size on the tape is - are you ready - 98,640 bytes. As most of
you probably know, both VAXes and IBMs can only handle a maximum blocksize
of 64K (65,534). Does anybody know of any way around this? Is a HARRIS the
only machine that can read a record this big? Can VMS be "fooled" somehow,
either by changing a value in some location, or by fudging tape operations
(the latter is not a method of choice since they only have one copy)?

VMS-oriented responses are welcome (although I am sure most will be "you're
out of luck"), but if anyone has ever come across a similar situation, I
would also appreciate hearing from you (as would my friend, I am sure).

Thanks in advance for answers to this very-humble request.

Ruth Milner
System Manager
Physics/Astronomy, U. of Toronto
SYSRUTH@UTORPHYS (BITNET)

Since answers may not be VAX-specific, I guess they would be best sent
directly to me. Any VAX/VMS hints will be posted.