Tar not working properly

[Wim Rombauts]

After you insert a tape, what is the output of "mt -t /dev/rmt/0m status" ?

[Torsten.]

After doing such a test, inspect the syslog for errors. As said before, your drive is likely bad.

[TTr]

Which tape drive and what type of tape(s) are you using?

Also back in March you had a similar if not identical problem? How did you resolve that one or is it the same one?
http://forums13.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=1322175

[Broflowsky]

The tape drive has been cleaned.

This is the output of the mt command

[root]:/root # mt -t /dev/rmt/0m status
Drive: HP C5683A
Format: DDS-3 format
Status: [1112500] online compression immediate-report-mode
File: 0
Block: 0

I also tried an fbackup as adviced in the other thread but got I/O error messages.

[root]:/root # mt -t /dev/rmt/0m rew
[root]:/root # fbackup -f /dev/rmt/0m -i /etc
fbackup(1004): session begins on Wed Jul 1 10:07:16 2009
fbackup(3205): WARNING: unable to read a volume header
fbackup(3024): writing volume 1 to the output file /dev/rmt/0m
fbackup(9999): I/O error
fbackup(3124): write error on a record in the ANSII label
fbackup(3025): write error at the beginning of the volume
fbackup(3316): enter '^[yY]' when volume 1 is ready on /dev/rmt/0m,
or '^[nN]' to discontinue:
y
fbackup(3205): WARNING: unable to read a volume header
fbackup(3024): writing volume 1 to the output file /dev/rmt/0m
fbackup(9999): I/O error
fbackup(3124): write error on a record in the ANSII label
fbackup(3025): write error at the beginning of the volume
fbackup(3316): enter '^[yY]' when volume 1 is ready on /dev/rmt/0m,
or '^[nN]' to discontinue:
n
fbackup(3019): would you like to enter a new output file?
n
fbackup(3022): would you like to continue this session?
n
fbackup(3004): writer aborting
fbackup(1002): Backup did not complete : Reader or Writer process exit
[root]:/root #

[TTr]

You have a DAT4 tape drive and either you are using DDS3 tapes or the drive is not reporting the tape properly. (That's why I asked what kind of tapes you use). Ensure that all the tape related patches are installed on your server. Also install the "library and tape tools" software on the server and ensure that the tape drive has the latest firmware in it.

[Broflowsky]

I use DDS4 tapes, it is the same problem with the same server I had back in March, that time HP replaced the tape drive, and everithing worked, I only use this tape drive to perform monthly ignite backups, so this tape drive has olny been used 4 times. and it is not working again. What I'm trying to avoid is having to have this tape drive replaced every 4 months.

[TTr]

It may very well be a tape drive issue specially since it looks like the drive is reporting all media as being at EOT. Other than replacing it again I don't see what else you can do. When it was replaced the last time, you probably got a refurbished unit and not a brand new one.

[OldSchool]

"root]:/root # mt -t /dev/rmt/0m status
Drive: HP C5683A
Format: DDS-3 format
Status: [1112500] online compression immediate-report-mode
File: 0
Block: 0"



"I use DDS4 tapes, it is the same problem with the same server I had back in...."


what you say and what the drive says *differ*. If this worked after the drive replacement, I'd suggest that the replacement has failed again.

[Patrick Wallek]

>>What I'm trying to avoid is having to have this tape drive replaced every 4 months.

If this tape drive is covered by a maintenance contract, I wouldn't worry. HP will replace it as often as necessary. What you CAN do however is start questioning HP as to why the drive fails so often.