NA4G@aol.com wrote:

> I am having problems, now and then with old DEC
> cartridges, that have not been read in a while,
> sticking in the cartridge, and that causes the
> TK50 drive to slow down and hang.


...


> I attribute the problem to the lack of a good
> way to run a retension on DEC DLT cartridges.
> Is there some correct way to properly retension
> a cartridge, before use?  If so, I seem to have
> missed that tidbit.


You seem to be advanced in experience with that part of life.
But from what you describe it sounds less like a loose tape
than a sticky tape. Could it be that the tape has been
stored in a mixture of damp and dirty environment? I think
your tapes are in very bad condition, I'd draw backups and
get some better ones ASAP.

sorry for being of little help.
-Gunther




-- 
Gunther Schadow, M.D., Ph.D.                    gschadow@regenstrief.org
Medical Information Scientist      Regenstrief Institute for Health Care
Adjunct Assistant Professor        Indiana University School of Medicine
tel:1(317)630-7960                         http://aurora.regenstrief.org