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You can insure the accuracy of an archive by comparing files in the
system with archive members. tar can compare an archive to the
file system as the archive is being written, to verify a write
operation, or can compare a previously written archive, to insure that
it is up to date.
To check for discrepancies in an archive immediately after it is
written, use the `--verify' (`-W') option in conjunction with
the `--create' (`-c') operation. When this option is
specified, tar checks archive members against their counterparts
in the file system, and reports discrepancies on the standard error. In
multi-volume archives, each volume is verified after it is written,
before the next volume is written.
To verify an archive, you must be able to read it from before the end of the last written entry. This option is useful for detecting data errors on some tapes. Archives written to pipes, some cartridge tape drives, and some other devices cannot be verified.
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