topic Re: tape drive broken? in Operating System - HP-UX

tape drive broken?

Steven Chen_1 — Tue, 15 Aug 2000 18:25:26 GMT

Our HP35480A tape drive on HPUX 10.10 behaves recently. The followings are what I tested after no backup was done:

----------------------------------------
#tar cvf /dev/rmt/c0t0d0BEST /tmp/aaa
a /tmp/aaa 22 blocks
tape hardware path 56/52.0.0.0: No close operations performed.

#tar tvf /dev/rmt/c0t0d0BEST
Tar: tape read error
-----------------------------------------

Using ioscan does find the tape drive like
"56/52.0.0 tape HP HP35480A". Using SAM finds the drives too.

Please help with diagnosis.

Re: tape drive broken?

Jennifer Chiarelli — Tue, 15 Aug 2000 18:26:44 GMT

Check the cable connections. Use a good cleaning tape. If the problem still exists,
I would call HP to service / replace the unit.

Re: tape drive broken?

Kofi ARTHIABAH — Tue, 15 Aug 2000 18:30:43 GMT

I would check the scsi terminator.

try ioscan -fnC tape

does it say the software state is CLAIMED?

Re: tape drive broken?

Rita C Workman — Tue, 15 Aug 2000 18:32:06 GMT

Well there could be a variety of reasons....I think the first thing I would do is see if the drive can read a tape that you know is good, and preferably was written by this particular tape unit.
The reason I say this is because sometimes different tapes of different densities will not work. I have DDS2 and DDS3 tape units and they just don't like anything other than a DDS2 or DDS3 tapes.
Don't know if this is the same in your case, but it's a thought.

Re: tape drive broken?

Kofi ARTHIABAH — Tue, 15 Aug 2000 18:35:07 GMT

I would check the scsi terminator.

try ioscan -fnC tape

does it say the software state is CLAIMED?

Re: tape drive broken?

James R. Ferguson — Tue, 15 Aug 2000 18:37:23 GMT

Hi:

Try cleaning the drive. If that doesn't help and you are using a new tape and/or the cleaning tape ejects immediately, then it is very likely the tape drive is "shot". Place a call to have it replaced. Remember that internal drives require the server to be down to replace them.

...JRF...

Re: tape drive broken?

Antoanetta Naghiu — Tue, 15 Aug 2000 18:50:25 GMT

See the above answer, doesn't make sense to repet, everything is valid...You may need a firmware upgrade or a patch

Re: tape drive broken?

Antoanetta Naghiu — Tue, 15 Aug 2000 18:55:17 GMT

See the above answer, doesn't make sense to repet, everything is valid...You may need a firmware upgrade or a patch

Re: tape drive broken?

Antoanetta Naghiu — Tue, 15 Aug 2000 18:55:48 GMT

See the above answer, doesn't make sense to repet, everything is valid...You may need a firmware upgrade or a patch

Re: tape drive broken?

Steven Chen_1 — Tue, 15 Aug 2000 19:25:48 GMT

Thank you for all help.
"ioscan -fnC tape" does claim the tape there.

I cleaned the tape more than necessary already.

Antoanetta suggests that I need patch. Can you specify?

I have tried HP cleaning tape and want to have it a try.

Re: tape drive broken?

Antoanetta Naghiu — Tue, 15 Aug 2000 19:48:30 GMT

I did not say it is a patch because I don't know for sure. It might be.
Check if you have
s700_800 10.10 pax(1) cumulative patch(PHCO_11976)
s700_800 10.10 tar(1) cumulative patch(PHCO_12732)

I suggested that could be the firmware that need to be upgrade.

But.... did you try other backup tools (fbackup or cpio)? Are whose working?

Re: tape drive broken?

Steven Chen_1 — Wed, 16 Aug 2000 11:45:31 GMT

Can anyone suggest what to do? I cleaned the tape drive 5 times using HP cleaning tape, and I used a new tape. Still not working. I got a yellow light on the right hand side each time after issuing tar command (nothing backup and nothing can be tar tvf..).

I had the similar situation about 5 months ago and changed to the present tape drive (it is the rebuilt one bought from Abtech).

Before seeking another tape drive again, I need your ideas.

Re: tape drive broken?

James R. Ferguson — Wed, 16 Aug 2000 12:00:26 GMT

Steven:

I think the tape drive is defunct. Five months of life is the usage is daily isn't an unreasonable lifetime.

...JRF...

Re: tape drive broken?

Stefan Farrelly — Wed, 16 Aug 2000 12:06:35 GMT

I agree with James. Your drive is most likely broken im afraid.
If its not under warranty then no harm in opening it up and taking a look for dust etc. and try to clean the tape head directly with some cleaner. Thats about all you can do short of replacing it.

Re: tape drive broken?

Dragan Krnic — Wed, 16 Aug 2000 17:04:21 GMT

To all appearance there is something wrong with the unit or its environment.

Does the drive perform better elsewhere? You have a problem in your mains.

Does another drive of the same type powered and connected identically function correctly? Your drive is defect.

Are both the computer and all of its external peripherals fed from the same phase? Put 'em all on the same phase.

Is the mains extra conditioned? Try unconditioned mains.

What's the shape of the AC signal? (It sounds funny but I've seen the so-called power conditioners which somehow clip the sinewave introducing higher harmonics in the AC line which don't get filtered by the power supply coils.)

A ferrite core around the flat cables next to the drive's connector works wonders.

Re: tape drive broken?

Vikas Khator — Thu, 17 Aug 2000 19:03:26 GMT

As mentioned above , ensure that drive is terminated.

I can replicate the same problem with a tape drive not terminated.