The overwhelming response to READ THE MAN PAGE was rather embarrassing.
But thanks for the quick response.
Don Hooper of University of Colorado was the winner with a response time
of 45 mins after my posting.
> here's a piece of 'man 4 st'
> 
>      For helical-scan tape devices (Exabyte):
>      /dev/rst[0-7]
>                          Standard EXB-8200 (2GB) Format
>      /dev/rst[8-15]
>                          EXB-8500 (5GB) Format
>      /dev/rst[16-23]
>                          Compressed Format (EXB-8500 only)
>      /dev/rst[24-31]
>                          Compressed Format (EXB-8500 only)
>      /dev/nrst[0-7]
>                          non-rewinding     Standard      EXB-8200
>                          (2GB)Format
>      /dev/nrst[8-15]
>                          non-rewinding EXB-8500 (5GB) Format
>      /dev/nrst[16-23]
>                          non-rewinding  Compressed  Format  (EXB-
>                          8500 only)
>      /dev/nrst[24-31]
>                          non-rewinding  Compressed  Format  (EXB-
>                          8500 only)
> 
> 
>
I can also add the results of my empirical research since I have an 8200
on site as well. There were no problems using and reusing a single tape 
in different modes as long as I did an mt -f /dev/rst9 rew before trying
to use the new density.
I was also able to use the following to approximately double the tape capacity.
8200
dump 0ubsdf 64 10000 54000 - /dev/sd0a | compress | dd of=/dev/nrst1 bs=8b
dd if=/dev/nrst1 bs=8b | uncompress | restore if -
8500
dump 0ubsdf 64 21700 54000 - /dev/sd0a | compress | dd of=/dev/nrst9 bs=8b
dd if=/dev/nrst1 bs=8b | uncompress | restore if -
The 8 blocks with dd was as high as I could go without getting a constant
stream of annoying scsi bus synchronous at 4.0 mbs messages in the console
while restoring.
Those responding as of Sun Apr 26 16:07:32 EDT 1992.
hoop@noaacrd.Colorado.EDU (Don Hooper)
anderson@neon.mitre.org (Mark S. Anderson)
kjmm@statoil.no (K.M.Myge)
Terry West <terry%kiwi@rand.org>
Dan Lorenzini <dal@gcm.com>
reardon@sws.SINet.SLB.COM (Bob Reardon Maildrop 3F - x4794)
Tim Beyea <beyea@ERC.MsState.Edu>
John R. Kilheffer <amp19263@garfield.amp.com>
cchtor!larry (Larry Chin)
Jonathan Corbet <corbet@stout.atd.ucar.EDU>
kwthomas@nsslsun.nssl.uoknor.edu (Kevin W. Thomas)
baumann@proton.llumc.edu (Michael Baumann)
Steve Hanson <hanson@pogo.fnal.gov>
oran@spg.amdahl.com (Oran Davis)
doug@perry.berkeley.edu (Doug Neuhauser)
zeke@mpl.UCSD.EDU (Rob Scott)
snowhit!rmk (Richard Kurtz (816)995-3204 rmk@snowhit.att.com)
gmjung@ee.lbl.gov (Gary Jung)
Denis Beauchemin <denis.beauchemin@dmi.usherb.ca>
lemke@MITL.COM (Kennedy Lemke)
ric@Rational.COM (Ric Medlinger)
         _
      _ |_|    Kenneth R. Lewis,
   _ |_|       Applied Software 
  |_|          1908 Cliff Valley Way 
   _  _  _     Atlanta, Georgia 30329
  |_||_||_|    Voice:     (404) 633-8660
   _  _  _     Fax:       (404) 633-0154
  |_||_||_|    Internet:    krl@asti.com                     
I find your lack of faith......DISTURBING!!
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