I got my odds/evens mixed up because I wasn't thinking about the newline that
echo would add. So it's odd bytes that give the error.

Also, when I send a large amount of bytes to the drive (for example 25,000),
then it doesn't matter if it's an odd number or even number, it will write
successfully.

(Originator and bugzilla added to cc)

On Sat, 2 Dec 2006 17:27:20 +0200 (EET)
Kai Makisara <Kai.Makisara@kolumbus.fi> wrote:

> On Fri, 1 Dec 2006, Andrew Morton wrote:
> 
> > 
> > 
> > Begin forwarded message:
> > 
> > Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2006 08:40:16 -0800
> > From: bugme-daemon@bugzilla.kernel.org
> > To: bugme-new@lists.osdl.org
> > Subject: [Bugme-new] [Bug 7610] New: sense key error when sending even number of bytes to /dev/st0
> > 
> > 
> > http://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=7610
> > 
> >            Summary: sense key error when sending even number of bytes to
> >                     /dev/st0
> >     Kernel Version: 2.6.19
> >             Status: NEW
> >           Severity: normal
> >              Owner: other_modules@kernel-bugs.osdl.org
> >          Submitter: bergenia@pair.com
> > 
> > 
> > Most recent kernel where this bug did *NOT* occur: unknown
> > Distribution: Debian, but using kernel from kernel.org
> > Hardware Environment: Dell Poweredge 2800 Xeon, Quantum DLT VS160 tape drive, 
> > scsi1 : Adaptec AIC7XXX EISA/VLB/PCI SCSI HBA DRIVER, Rev 7.0
> >         <Adaptec 3960D Ultra160 SCSI adapter>
> >         aic7899: Ultra160 Wide Channel B, SCSI Id=7, 32/253 SCBs
> > Software Environment: 
> > Gnu C                  3.3.5
> > Gnu make               3.80
> > binutils               2.15
> > util-linux             2.12p
> > mount                  2.12p
> > module-init-tools      3.2.2
> > e2fsprogs              1.37
> > nfs-utils              1.0.6
> > Linux C Library        2.3.6
> > Dynamic linker (ldd)   2.3.6
> > Procps                 3.2.1
> > Net-tools              1.60
> > Console-tools          0.2.3
> > Sh-utils               5.2.1
> > udev                   088
> > Modules Loaded         st parport_pc parport
> > 
> > Problem Description: 
> > When sending an even number of bytes to /dev/st0, I get the following error in
> > /var/log/kernel:
> > 
> > Nov 30 16:13:47 mugsy kernel: st0: Current: sense key: Illegal Request
> > Nov 30 16:13:47 mugsy kernel:     Additional sense: Invalid field in cdb
> > 
> > Steps to reproduce:
> > this will write to the tape:
> > 
> > echo "A" > /dev/st0
> > echo "ABC" > /dev/st0
> > 
> > this will not write to the tape and will produce the kernel error:
> > 
> > echo "AB" > /dev/st0
> > echo "ABCD" > /dev/st0
> > 
> I think this is not a bug but a user error.
> 
> Firstly, the report should say that writing odd number of bytes does not 
> work (echo adds newline to the data).
> 
> The reason for the problem is probably that the drive in question does not 
> support writing blocks with odd number of bytes. I just tested the echo 
> commands with my drive and all echos succeeded (kernel 2.6.19).
> 
> -- 
> Kai

Rachel, have you done more testing with the tape drive? Does current kernel work for you?
Thanks.

Closing this bug for no recent activity.
Please reopen if confirmed with latest kernel.