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While preparing to move to a new house, I came across two forgotten tape backup mini cartridges from 1996. I know they hold the only backup I made of my original Remote Access BBS, with all my original Star Trek themed ANSI art, DOS/OS2 shareware, and 1000+ users.

I'd love to be able to resurrect this time-capsule, but what hardware device can actually read this?

I think I originally used a 50pin Wide-SCSI external backup, narrower & longer than an external CD-Rom drive (caddy-style). Backup restoration software I'm not worried about as I'm certain I can find something on Linux to suffice, I just need to find the hardware ;)

Here is the mystery cartridge in question:

DC 2120 XL Minicartridge

The cartridge size is:

  • 3 3/16"(w) x 2 3/8"(h) x 5/8"(d), or
  • 8cm(w) x 6cm(h) x 1.5cm(d)

Thanks!

adamrmcd
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1 Answers1

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That looks like a 1/4" QIC minicartridge. This particular form factor was apparently common in desktop computers.

Look for a QIC tape reader which was pulled out of somebody's desktop machine, and you may get lucky. I see several of them on eBay under $20.

Michael Hampton
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  • Thanks for the lead, this sounds like what i'm looking for... Although you said "I see several of them on eBay under $20" would you mind posting a link? .. I don't see anything under $60, maybe I'm searching for the wrong term. – adamrmcd Jul 16 '12 at 15:42
  • [1](http://www.ebay.com/itm/Iomega-640MB-QIC-Tape-Drive-IO3010-/200790632960) [2](http://www.ebay.com/itm/Colorado-250MB-QIC80-internal-tape-drive-/330763366279) Try searching for `QIC tape drive`. – Michael Hampton Jul 16 '12 at 15:56
  • Ah, there's different search results from your ebay.com and my ebay.ca :) .. thx! – adamrmcd Jul 16 '12 at 18:04