How to Retrieve Specific Files From a Tape (cpio)

1. Change to the directory where you want to put the files.

2. Insert the tape into the tape drive.

3. Retrieve a subset of files from a tape using the cpio command.

   $ cpio -icv "*file" < /dev/rmt/n

   -i	Reads in the contents of the tape.
   -c	Specifies that cpio should read headers in ASCII character format.
   -v	Displays the files as they are retrieved in a format similar to the output from the ls command.
   "*file"	Specifies that all of the files that match the pattern are copied to the current directory. You can specify multiple patterns, but each must be enclosed in double quotation marks.
   < /dev/rmt/n	Specifies the input file.

4. Verify the files are copied by listing the contents of the current directory.

   $ ls -l

Example--Retrieving Specified Files From a Tape (cpio)

The following example retrieves all files with the suffix chapter from the tape in drive 0.

$ cd /home/smith/Book
$ cpio -icv "*chapter" < /dev/rmt/0
Boot.chapter 
Directory.chapter 
Install.chapter 
Intro.chapter
31 blocks
$ ls -l

See cpio(1) for more information.