+@end menu
+
+@node Multi-Volume Archives
+@subsection Archives Longer than One Tape or Disk
+@cindex Multi-volume archives
+
+@opindex multi-volume
+To create an archive that is larger than will fit on a single unit of
+the media, use the @option{--multi-volume} (@option{-M}) option in conjunction with
+the @option{--create} option (@pxref{create}). A @dfn{multi-volume}
+archive can be manipulated like any other archive (provided the
+@option{--multi-volume} option is specified), but is stored on more
+than one tape or disk.
+
+When you specify @option{--multi-volume}, @command{tar} does not report an
+error when it comes to the end of an archive volume (when reading), or
+the end of the media (when writing). Instead, it prompts you to load
+a new storage volume. If the archive is on a magnetic tape, you
+should change tapes when you see the prompt; if the archive is on a
+floppy disk, you should change disks; etc.
+
+@table @option
+@item --multi-volume
+@itemx -M
+Creates a multi-volume archive, when used in conjunction with
+@option{--create} (@option{-c}). To perform any other operation on a multi-volume
+archive, specify @option{--multi-volume} in conjunction with that
+operation.
+For example:
+
+@smallexample
+$ @kbd{tar --create --multi-volume --file=/dev/tape @var{files}}
+@end smallexample
+@end table
+
+The method @command{tar} uses to detect end of tape is not perfect, and
+fails on some operating systems or on some devices. If @command{tar}
+cannot detect the end of the tape itself, you can use
+@option{--tape-length} option to inform it about the capacity of the
+tape:
+
+@anchor{tape-length}
+@table @option
+@opindex tape-length
+@item --tape-length=@var{size}
+@itemx -L @var{size}
+Set maximum length of a volume. The @var{size} argument should then
+be the usable size of the tape in units of 1024 bytes. This option
+selects @option{--multi-volume} automatically. For example:
+
+@smallexample
+$ @kbd{tar --create --tape-length=41943040 --file=/dev/tape @var{files}}
+@end smallexample
+@end table
+
+@anchor{change volume prompt}
+When @GNUTAR{} comes to the end of a storage media, it asks you to
+change the volume. The built-in prompt for POSIX locale
+is@footnote{If you run @GNUTAR{} under a different locale, the
+translation to the locale's language will be used.}:
+
+@smallexample
+Prepare volume #@var{n} for `@var{archive}' and hit return:
+@end smallexample
+
+@noindent
+where @var{n} is the ordinal number of the volume to be created and
+@var{archive} is archive file or device name.