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HP Ultrium 215E random frequent scsi timout error on ML530G1

 
CA1216320
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HP Ultrium 215E random frequent scsi timout error on ML530G1

We have purchased an Ultirum 215E and connected it to a ML530G1 using the onboard SCSI II interface. We can do backups using Tapeware but we receive a high percentage of failed backups due to a SCSI timout error. We have then requested a Compaq 272515-001 ultra scsi III card to test as suggested by HP support but out of 3 attempts, 1 failed with SCSI timout error again. No other scsi device is attached to the scsi chain. Could it be a problem with the drive itself (it is 2 month old!)
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BR839155
New Member

Re: HP Ultrium 215E random frequent scsi timout error on ML530G1

Hello Ivo,

What you have described is fairly common, in my experience. LTO drives are getting better at "extended error recovery" and a write command can take several minutes. The designers decided that there would be no notification of this and it is very difficult to read the history of the drive.

Now you never see a write error sense and additional sense codes. We have had to cancel all timeouts (make the time infinite) and rely on the drive to either work or die.

I expect it is about the same in the HP world as in IBM's. The problem tends to show up with certain tapes and not others. The drive tries to learn which can make the first corrected error longer than others. I do not know where in the drive one can discover what it has "learned" since HP no longer publishes the details. At the very least you need to track tapes by overall data rates.

Of course it can be the drive.

Ugh. This is not a step forward.

Peter Brewster