Question: I can't seem to set my machine to read the media TERM came on. Could it be bad media?

Answer: Do the following:

1. Verify that the correct extraction command is being used. Double-check your release notes.
2. Verify that the correct device name is being used for the media being read. if you are unsure of the device name, and it is not listed in the Installation and Set up of TERM section in the manual, you can search for the correct device name by inserting the release media in the appropriate drive and type in the following at a system prompt:
   • for x in `ls /dev/rfd*` (use the tick character left of the number 1, not the single quote)
   • > do >
   • echo "Device: $x "
   • > tar xvf $x
   • > done
   This will cause the tar command to be used on all the selected devices until the correct one is found. In order for this to work correctly, you must loop through the right files and directory. An example of some directory specifications are as follows:
   • Interactive UNIX system V/386 /dev/rdsk/* (disks)
   • SCO XENIX/UNlX /dev/rfd* (disks)
   • Sun Microsystems /dev/rst/* (CT)
   • ICL DRS /dev/rmt/* (CT)
   Before CD releases, Century Software provided its UNIX releases on the following formats:
   • Tan 5.25 Diskette: 360K
   • Black 5.25 Diskette: 1.2M
   • Black 3.5- Diskette: 720K
   • Black 3.5- Diskette: 1.44M
   • Cartridge Tape: Low density
3. Remove media, re-insert and try again.
4. If the release has multiple diskettes, try executing the extraction command on each diskette received. If all diskettes fail, reboot the system and repeat steps 1 through 3. Occasionally, UNIX drives can get messed up and require rebooting to correct. If only one diskette fails, it is an indication that the diskette is bad. Call Century Software Customer Support.
5. If all diskettes fail again, try using a non-Century Software diskette. If it fails to read, the diskette drive probably requires cleaning. If the non-Century Software disk works, the TERM product diskettes are damaged. Call Century Software Customer Support.
   Cartridge Tapes: If you are having problems reading a cartridge tape, follow the steps above. If the above steps fall, be sure to use the blocking option with the tar command. Century Software's tapes are usually written with a block size of 20. For example:
   

   tar xvfb /dev/rct0 20

   If adding the block size option doesn't help, try using the dd command as follows:

   dd if = /dev/ < device > | tar xvf -

   If this command doesn't work, try:

   dd if = /dev/ < device > conv = swab | tar xvf -

   The first command does a data dump and pipes it through tar. The second command does a data dump, byte swaps the files and pipes it through tar. Some tape drives (i.e. NCR towers) do byte swapping when reading and/or writing tapes. If the above fails, it is probably due to bad media. Contact Century Software Customer Support.
   This will cause the tar command to be used on all the selected devices until the correct one is found. In order for this to work correctly, you must loop through the right files and directory. See item 2 above for example directory specifications and media formats.