Tripling the data set for the HyperCP experiment

FNAL E871 (HyperCP) collected over 38 terabytes of data during the 1997 fixed-target run at Fermilab. The data-acquisition (DAQ) system wrote data to tape with a typical rate of 13 MB/s. A second data collection period in 1999 allowed for the collection of a further 82 terabytes of data. However, changes in the spill structure and an increase in primary beam intensity necessitated an upgrade of the 1997 DAQ system. The 1999 run of HyperCP featured a DAQ system which recorded data on 20,421 8 mm tapes at a sustainable rate of 27 MB/s. The rationale and methods for this upgrade are detailed within.