Sony SDX-800V/R manual Mode Select

MODE SELECT 6.Command Specification

Medium Format Recognition: This field is only valid on a MODE SENSE and is set to 03h to indicate that the drive is capable of format and partition recognition. This is non-changeable field. It accepts all the value, however always returns 03.

Partition Sizes: This field allows the initiator to allocate the capacity of each partition. It will also allow the initiator to reallocate the capacity of previously partitioned tapes.

If the Additional Partitions Defined fields are set to ZERO the drive will reformat the tape.

The size of partition 0 is only valid during Mode Sense and is ignored during Mode Select. For Mode Select only partition 1 size is used when Additional Partitions Defined field is set to 01h. Partition 0 size is ignored. Internally, the drive computes partition 0 size to be the remaining capacity of the tape. This remaining capacity is the maximum uncompressed capacity minus partition 1 size.

A second way to issue Mode Select Page 11h is to set Page Length to 08h, and set bytes 8 and 9 to partition 1 size. In this method partition 0 size is not sent, but this size is still computed as defined above. In either case, Mode Sense will report partition 0 and partition 1 sizes.

SONY AIT-3Ex drive SDX-800V series Ver.1.1 6-47