AIX Invalid tape length

UNIX AIX
1

Hi,
on AIX server 1 7
When running tar commande to archive on disk, I have :

Invalid tape length

What does it mean? I don't ask to save on tape.
Thanks for explanation.

2

Did you specify the f filename option for tar?
Can you post your tar command?

1 Like
3

the file is corrupted/incomplete for reason(s) X (as in unknown...), show the tar cmd, show the output of df on the filesystem being written to etc ...

4

Thanks.
Commande line is as following and is in a script running every evening from crontab:
(/opt/freeware/bin/tar -cvf - -L ${FLIST} | gzip
df -g:
Filesystem GB blocks Free %Used Iused %Iused Mounted on
/dev/lvdatavg00 442.00 45.68 90% 1449825 12% /u0/backup
In log:
/opt/freeware/bin/tar: /server/temp/liste_fic.lst: Invalid tape length
Try /opt/freeware/bin/tar --help' or /opt/freeware/bin/tar --usage' for more
information.
My question:
Is there any limite for number of line s in -L ${FLIST}
Regards.

5

no idea, how many lines is it ?

have you tried with ... 1 line / 10 lines / 100 lines ....

what is the actual tar version you are using.

tks

6

Thanks.
Number of lines is : 148517 lines.
It has worked fine for the years.
Just last evening failed. It is usuel to add/delete files , then the number of files and lines in file liste is not fixed.
How can I see the version of tar?
which tar
/usr/bin/tar

Regards.

7

In GNU tar the -L is "tape length".
Obviously /opt/freeware/bin/tar is a GNU tar
Try -T instead.

Or use the /usr/bin/tar where -L is "list of files".

8

did you follow the advice given in the log
Try /opt/freeware/bin/tar --help' or /opt/freeware/bin/tar --usage' for more information.

as @MadeInGermany alludes to its likely gnu tar ... but you need to confirm
and if its been running without issue for years ... maybe the commandline has changed from the AIX version of tar to the gnu version ....

9

Ok. Thank you. I will see with SYSTEM team.
Regards.

10

Thanks to all.
As MadeInGermany said we used -T instead of -L and it seems working.
Regards.

1 Like
11

@big123456 good news , and the mystery of it having worked for years before remains unsolved ?

12

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