| ERASE | 19h |
The ERASE command is used to erase data on tape from the current logical position. The Long bit is used to decide whether the ‘old’ data is physically overwritten or not. ERASE commands (short or long) to a drive containing a WORM cartridge will not overwrite or erase user data on tape.
Illegal Field | Reservation | Deferred Error | Unit Attention |
Media Access | Media Write | Diagnostic Status |
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Command descriptor block:
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| 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
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| 0 |
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| Operation | Code (19h) |
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| 1 |
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| Reserved (0) |
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| Immed | Long | ||
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| Reserved (0) |
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| 5 |
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| Control |
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CDB fields:
Immed 0 The drive reports status after the command has completed.
1The drive reports status when it starts the command (after any
Long The Long bit controls the distance to be erased.
0The current position becomes the end of logical data.
1End of Data is written, followed by Data Set Separators to the end of the tape.
NOTE: Short erase is only used to truncate data at the current logical position. It cannot be used to create a “hole” in the tape into which data can subsequently be written “in place”. This will merely cause the drive to streamfail. The logical tape position is unaffected by this command. A CHECK CONDITION for Early Warning EOM (drive error code 2C98h) will only be given if the tape is logically positioned past EOT immediately before the erase.
Erase Specific status:
Event | Status | Key | Additional Sense |
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The erase fails | CHECK CONDITION HARDWARE ERROR 5100h (erase failure) | ||
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WORM media: Erase would | CHECK CONDITION DATA PROTECT | 300Ch (WORM medium | |
result in user data being over- |
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written. |
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38 Commands