Autoloader 1/9 compression

[CA760039]

Hi,

I have a DLT8000 drive in my autoloader. If I insert DLT IV cartridges that have been used in a DLT4000 drive they stay at 20GB (has seen via the RMC). How can I change the density of these cartridges to 40GB?

I tried to erase and/or format them with the backup software I use (Arcserve 6.6 for NetWare) without success.

Thanks for your support!

[Trevor Roddam]

Benoit.

I've not done this with a 1/9 so this may not be totally correct.

To do this in a normal DLT8000:
1/ Eject any tape,
2/ Use the compression/density button to set the compression you would like. (Not the eject).
3/ Insert the tape.
4/ Confirm the compression shown by the drive. (Probably omit this as it's a bit hard to see inside the 1/9).
5/ Write a file to tape, such as with "tar", or any tool to write data to the tape.

Step 5 is very important. If the tape is ejected without writing a file it will not have been changed. It is this act that changes the the tape size format.

I am not sure how you will get this done with the door on the 1/9 needing to be closed for use. Maybe take out all tapes and do steps 1 - 4, then close the door and then step 5.
Or
Use a standalone DLT8000.

You may also be able to do this from the buttons on the front, either way the steps will be the same just how you do them may differ.
IE Manually set the drive compression and load etc. Then write to the tape and eject.

Once this is done reload the tape just to be sure.

Hope this helps.

[CA777699]

Benoit,
My understanding from Quantum is that once the tape has been reformatted in the DLT8000, a Type IV tape should give you the full 40/80GB capacity. If it was written with a DLT4000, the DLT8000 will continue to write in 4000 mode until the tape is reformatted. Have you actually checked how much data you can fit on a tape? I wonder if there's not a reporting issue within the RMC that is not working correctly. I'm not all that familiar with the Netware Version of ArcServe, is there any other indicators of the tape capacity?

[CA760039]

Trevor,

I have no way to do this on the Autoloader: I can't do this with the front buttons and there are no buttons on the drive since it is an internal drive. But yes I can do this with a normal external DLT8000; It's what I'm doing actually, but I find that there is lack of flexibility on the Autoloader on that subject...

Barry,

As I said when I format the tape with ArcServe, it stays at 20/40GB. There is no way to see the capacity of the tape in Arcserve except if I write data on the tape. Since I am able to write about 32GB on these tapes, we can say that they are really at 20/40GB and that the RMC is OK.

After I have change the density of a 20/40GB tape on an external Surestore DLT8000, I insert it in the Autoloader and the RMC sees that the tape is 40/80GB...

If you have no other idea, it seems that I will have to manually change the density of these tapes in a standalone external drive...

Benoit