tar package 1.16
 

Has anybody had problems with using the latest tar (1.16) package in 10.2.

At the weekend whilst verifying a backup using tar -dvvf backup.tar.gz . the comparison failed consistently in comparing a large db2 backup file. I repeated the backup several times with the same result the error was skipping to next header.

Reverted back to tar 1.15 repeated the backup and compared successfully.

Reinstalled tar 1.16 and the comparision failed again on the same file.

Alex

It might be a problem with the new tar, if the older version works ok, so...why did you update? "Don't fix a working thing" is a good thing to keep in mind. If the new tar doesn't provide you with something you really need (i.e. are ready to die for), don't update if your older version works. Especially if it's about backup. Use software you can trust, not software that shines.

Another opinion, though only personal, is that don't use tar for big backups, with long filenames or if you can, at all. It's nice, fancy, good etc. but compared to some others (like cpio) it's not error-free. I'd rather use cpio or something else if you've got big backups to do.

The new tar was a security release so it's a good idea to install it. Unless it doesn't work of course.

I've downloaded 1.16.1, 1.15.91 and 1.15.90 from -

http://www.gnu.org/software/tar/

All exhibit this problem -

First check version -
tar directory -
the results are -
compare -
results from compare are not successful -

Version 1.15.1 and previous versions don't exhibit this problem.


check version
perform tar on directory
results of creating tar
compare tar
results - successful!
Still investigating as to what it can be. Any suggestions greatfully received.

Alex

Have found that even though

exhibits the "Skipping to next header" problem

extracts all the files successfully!

There is now a patch on bug-tar.