Any idea how to get around this limit? I have a 42GB database backup file (.dmp) taking up disk space because neither tar nor cpio are able to put it onto a tape. I am on a SUN Solaris using SunOS 5.8. I would appreciate whatever help can be provided. Thanks!
I just tarred a 15 gb file system........Can ypu tar it to disk (If you have free disk space) & I can explain how to.
Remi
It might help if you posted both the commands you used, and what type of tape, and whether it was used or new.
tar has a 2GB limit for an individual file, but the total size of the archive can be larger. This limit arises from the standard tar format. A nonstandard tar format can help and I see a -E option on my Solaris man page. I would give pax a try. pax is standard and, in theory, pax can handle a file of 18,446,744,073,709,551,616 bytes. (But I have never tried that. 
)
I tarred to disk.....I'm sorryif I did'nt clarify. I was just hoping this might be an alternative for you.
Remi
The output device does not affect whether or not it is possible. In your 15 GB filesystem all of the individual files were smaller than 2 GB. Add a single 3 GB file to your filesystem and then try tar. It will fail. But if you are on Solaris and use the -E flag, it may succeed. The problem is not the total size of the stuff to be tarred. It all has to do with how big the biggest file is. tar has a header that it must write for each file. That header does not have space for a number larger than 2 GB in the size field. Redirecting the output from tape to disk will not help that header hold a larger number.
Not sure if this applies to tar aswell, but I know that mkisofs has this limit in Solaris 8 aswell, But if you use the Solaris 9 mkisofs it doesn't have this limit.
So maybe try installing the Solaris 9 tar
It wouldn't make any differnce ifor TAR, but for mkisofs you have a limit of 4 GB for idividual files in HSFS, despite being in breach of standards.
make a script to divide the file ;d
-E
That appears to have done the trick. Guess I need to read the man files a little more closely... :o
Thanks everybody!