TZ87 Series Cartridge Tape Subsystem Owner's Manual

This document is the Owner's Manual for the TZ87 Series Cartridge Tape Subsystem, published by Digital Equipment Corporation in September 1993.

The manual is intended for owners and operators and provides comprehensive guidance on the TZ87 cartridge tape drive. Key aspects covered include:

1. System Description: The TZ87 is a streaming tape drive connected via a SCSI bus, primarily used for data backup, archiving, and software loading. It uses CompacTape III cartridges, offering a capacity of up to 10 GB (uncompressed) and 20 GB (with 2:1 compression).
2. Installation & Setup: Instructions are provided for configuring the drive, including disabling parity checking, changing the SCSI ID, and setting termination power jumpers.
3. Operation: Detailed procedures are given for loading and unloading cartridges, using cleaning tapes, and understanding the front panel indicators and controls (e.g., density selection, write protection, tape status, error states). It highlights the importance of removing cartridges before powering off and proper storage for longevity.
4. Performance & Compatibility: The TZ87 supports various CompacTape III formats (TK85, TK86, TZ87) for read/write operations and earlier formats (TK50/70) for read-only. It specifies maximum transfer rates of 1.25 MB/s (uncompressed) and up to 3 MB/s (compressed read). Guidelines for maximizing capacity and performance, particularly concerning block sizes and system configuration, are provided.
5. Troubleshooting: A dedicated section helps users identify and resolve common issues, offering symptom-based solutions (e.g., bad media, dirty drive head, cartridge load errors) and advising when to contact Digital Services.
6. Software Integration: Appendices detail how to use the TZ87 with OpenVMS (using commands like ALLOCATE, INITIALIZE, MOUNT, BACKUP, COPY, DISMOUNT, DEALLOCATE) and ULTRIX operating systems (covering system configuration, logical device naming, and commands such as tar, dump, restore, dd, ltf, mt, and cpio).
7. Support Services: Information on various Digital Equipment Corporation service plans (On-Site, BASIC, DECservice, Carry-In, DECmailer, Per Call) is also included.