> > 
> > But no one uses tape drives through the block device; everyone uses the
> > character ("raw") device, which does not go through the buffer cache.
> 
> Could NetBSD ever mount a filesystem off a tape device?  ISTR that
> something (Ultrix?) did for it's tape install, and that it was through
> the block device...
> 
Not without hacking. I tested with an install system based on root-on-tape
for vax a couple of year ago, but when sysinst came into the world it
wasn't necessary anymore.
The problems that arises is with disklabels, IIRC. It wasn't specially
difficult to avoid it, though.

-- Ragge