When the 3592-E06 uses a partial tape for output, the existing data on tape may be in either the EFMT2, EEFMT2, EFMT3, or EEFMT3 recording technologies. The tape will be extended in the same format. The choice of the correct recording technology will be transparent to DFSMShsm. MEDIA6, MEDIA8, and MEDIA10 tapes are normally (unless patched by the customer) only used by ABARS and only as scratch tapes.

The 3592-J1A and 3592-E05 might also use these same partial tapes. The 3592-1 will not select EFMT2, EEFMT2, EFMT3, or EEFMT3 partial tapes. The 3592-2 will not select EEFMT2, EFMT3, or EEFMT3 partial tapes. The 3592-2E will not select EMFT3 or EEFMT3 partial tapes. The 3592-E06 will not select EFMT1 partial tapes.