tar command fails on bigsize(191 GB) file

Question

In Ubuntu, tar command fails while copying bigfile of size 191GB from disk to tape device and gives below error.

tar -cvf /dev/st0 /mtpt/ntfs

in /mtpt/ntfs, we have files of size 2gb to 5gb and they are getting copied and while copying filesize of 191gb it fails.

on the monitor we get below

tar: /dev/st0: Cannot write: Input/Output error

And In Kern log we get below error message -

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Aug  2 13:12:12 DigitalAssetMgmt kernel: [162046.927292]  rport-5:0-2: 
blocked FC remote port time out: removing target and saving binding Aug  2 13:12:12 DigitalAssetMgmt kernel: [162046.960315] st0: Error e0000 (driver bt 0x0, host bt 0xe). 
Aug  2 13:12:12 DigitalAssetMgmt kernel: [162046.960677] scsi 5:0:2:0: 
rejecting I/O to dead device 
Aug  2 13:12:12 DigitalAssetMgmt kernel: [162046.977006] st0: Error 10000 (driver bt 0x0, host bt 0x1). 
Aug  2 13:12:12 DigitalAssetMgmt kernel: [162046.977009] st0: Error on write filemark. 
Aug  2 13:12:12 DigitalAssetMgmt kernel: [162046.993200] scsi 5:0:2:0: 
rejecting I/O to dead device 
Aug  2 13:12:12 DigitalAssetMgmt kernel: [162047.009194] st0: Error 10000 (driver bt 0x0, host bt 0x1). 
Aug  2 13:12:15 DigitalAssetMgmt kernel: [162050.307793] scsi 5:0:2:0: 
Sequential-Access IBM      ULT3580-HH4      B171 PQ: 0 ANSI: 6 

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Please help us. Thanks and Regards, Robert

Answer 1

GNU manual here says that there is a limit of 8GB for file sizes, so you should be ok there, unless you happen to have a file bigger than that among the other smaller ones you mention. If you need larger files you could change the tar format to POSIX with the tar --format option.

If that's not the case, are you reaching the end of the tape cartridge perhaps? That does seem more likely from the messages you see, it seems to me.