Problem Creating Archive With Tar In Redhat!!!

hamidrh · 09-16-2004, 03:13 AM

I want to split a 2mb file to two floppies and I want to use
these floppies in a Windows XP system.

first I formated my floppies using FAT file system

then, I tried to use this command:

tar cMF /<the location of the file>/<my file.exe>

it gives me this error:
tar: Cowardly refusing to create an empty archive
Try `tar --help' for more information.

can any one help me with this problem?

please explain clearly! because it's the first time I'm using Linux

Tinkster · 09-16-2004, 03:46 AM

Hi, and welcome to LQ!

First I'd suggest you read the man-page, the info-
page and the "tar --help" output.

The F option describes a script-file that is to be
run at the end of each tape. If "<the location of the file>"
is meant to be the script file, which file-name is
archive supposed to have, or which file are you
trying to add to which archive?

Cheers,
Tink

realjustin · 09-16-2004, 04:28 AM

Sounds like you want to use the lowercase f. Plus you must define both the tar file name, and the other files. I've never split a .tar file up, but I'd guess you might need to name more than one .tar file? Read the man page, as mentioned above. Man pages are eternally useful.

dannyk1 · 09-16-2004, 05:14 AM

A 2mb file sounds pretty small to begin with

try to zip it with

tar -zcf destfilename.tgz sourcefilename

This might give you a file small enough to fit onto a single floppy.
Also I think winzip will be able to extract this type of file.

Tinkster · 09-16-2004, 12:37 PM

No speculations :)

What he REALLY wants is
tar cMf /dev/fd0 <files to be archived>

I'm just not certain that DOS will be able to
use those disks afterwards....

If that's not working just normally tar things,
using compression, then split the file into
suitable chunks.
tar cvzf my_archive.tar.gz <files to be archived>
split -b 1468000 my_archive.tar.gz

In dos you can then
copy /b chunk1 + chunk2 my_archive.tar.gz

Cheers,
Tink