This package `ftape-x.y.z' contains my version of the modules
package and the sources for the floppy tape driver.

The modules package is in the file `modules.tar' in the
`ftape-x.y.z' subdirectory after extraction with tar.
X.y.z will be the current version number of the driver.

Find a nice spot to extract the modules package and follow
the instructions included. This will build you a new kernel
with the ability to dynamically load and remove the tape driver.

After that, cd to the `ftape-x.y.z' directory and run `make'
(Ignore the `RCSid not used messages' !). This will compile
and install the driver.

Create the ftape devices:

        mknod -m 666 /dev/ftape c 27 0
        mknod -m 666 /dev/nftape c 27 4

Put a formatted tape in the drive and wait for it to stop
making noise. Now type:

        mt -f /dev/ftape rewind

This will try to open the device. 
Because initially `tracing' is set to some value greater than
zero, some debugging output (printk) is generated on the console.

[[[[[[ start `syslog' intermezzo ]]]]]]

You'll want to capture these messages with syslogk or syslogd
(NET-2 version). If you don't have a syslog daemon running add
the following to your rc.local file:

        if [ -x /etc/syslogk ] ; then
                syslogk on 2>&1 >>/var/log/kernel &
        fi

This will append the kernel messages to the file `/var/log/kernel'.
(Make sure this file exists !)

[[[[[[ end `syslog' intermezzo ]]]]]]]

The messages generated when opening the device can start with some 
"timeout on Acknowledge" lines. This depends on the trace-level,
and is normal so long as the driver is probing for a tape drive.
If they keep appearing after the device is opened something is wrong.

If all goes well, messages will appear saying something about
"drive-wakeup compatible with <name>" and "ftape drive is <name>".
If not, "unknown drive type, no response" says that the driver
cannot activate the drive. In this case the driver will not work
with your drive.

If some message appears with "unknown vendor id", follow the
instructions in the message so I can include this information
with a new release.
In the meantime the driver will function correctly if it is
compatible with one of the known types.

If the driver can open the device, try using `dd' to
see if reading and writing works.
If anything fails, make a logfile with `tracing' set to 13
and try to find out what's going wrong.

Bas               <bas@vimec.nl>                4-Sept-1993
