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Why
Degauss 8 mm Magnetic Tape?
What does an expert say? |
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| We strongly recommend that
these 8 mm tapes are not used for any
more than 15 hours, and that the end user
NEVER OVERWRITE the
tapes, but rather DEGAUSS
the tapes prior to reuse. The reason for
this is that on an overwrite software
command, the tape drive will ignore any
previous data as if it were not there.
Since the data written by the helical
scan drives is written at an angle across
the tape, and since it will ignore any
existing data, the new data will likely
be written on tracks placed slightly
differently than where the old data
tracks were located. This means there
will be an increased likelihood of
residual data from the old data set
remaining on the tape. Such residual
data, especially after two or more
overwrites on the same tape, will
significantly reduce the data integrity
by creating jumbled or unclear magnetic
data patterns for the tape head and drive
to properly interpret. Thus, it is
extremely important to DEGAUSS
the tapes prior to re-use. A separate
degaussing unit will be far more powerful
than the erase head contained within the
unit, and will measure the complete and
full erasure of any residual data which
otherwise would exist. Degaussers come in
many sizes and strengths, including
convenient hand held models which are the
most useful for the end user. Whichever
model is chosen, they represent a good
investment.
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| Presented by SPRAGUE MAGNETICS,
INC. at the July 1994 T.H.I.C.
Conference, San Jose, California
Gary Moore
is the Vice President of Operations of
SPRAGUE MAGNETICS, INC. and is
responsible for the entire repair
department, including overseeing and
directing the development of all new
repair product lines. SPRAGUE MAGNETICS
has been repairing all types of digital
and analog tape heads for over 15 years,
and has been repairing computer tape
drives for over four years. SPRAGUE
MAGNETICS now offers a replacement head
wheel for the 8 mm computer tape drive,
and is repairing both the 8 mm and 4 mm
head wheels, as well as thin film tape
heads. Darrell Sprague, one of the
principals of SPRAGUE MAGNETICS, was one
of the first to successfully offer
quality reconditioning of digital tape
heads.
Reproduced
and distributed with permission from Gary
Moore of Sprague Magnetics, Inc.
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