Autoloader 1/9 Firmware Problem

[Mike DePriest]

Using Windows 2000 Server

I downloaded the most recent Tape Tools and upgraded the firmware in the C7145 autoloader and the DLT8000 to the latest available revision.

After updating the firmware the system can no longer access the autoloader. Tape Tools can find it when it scans, but when I try to select it, it tells me it had a problem starting the diagnostics. On the scan details I see an error "IO Exception (Sense Key 2, Sense Code 0x0401) drive search skipped"

The diagnostics on the autoloader itself indicate that it is functioning normally and that it's happy with its firmware (2.33.0).
Any ideas?

[Jan Klier]

Sense key 2, sense code 0401 corresponds to 'not ready - in the process of becoming ready'. This is the normal reponse while the library is still completing its inventory.

At the time that the library cannot be accessed, does the front panel display any messages? Does it appear the library is still working on some inventory?

You can send the OC_EventLog*.ltt files via e-mail to ltt_team@hp.com and we can perform some analysis to find out what the problem with your library is.

[Mike DePriest]

The autoloader appears to know its inventory (all the slots have the correct tape numbers shown) and it is idle when I try to connect.

When I try to connect to the loader in Tape Tools I get the error dialogs shown in the attached screen shot.

I generated a tool status report and sent it in.

[David Ruska]

The screen shot indicates that the tool had difficulty communicating with the library. One possible cause would be problems with the SCSI bus (e.g. loose connections, bent pin, bad termination, duplicate bus IDs, etc.)

You could also try cabling just the autoloader or just the drive, so see if you can isolate the cause of the problem.

If you believe the SCSI bus configuration is good, you can email the EventLog.ltt file (from the logs subfolder of LTT) to ltt_team@hp.com, we might be able to help troubleshoot it a little better.

[Mike DePriest]

Thanks. I verified that the SCSI connections are all good (in fact, nothing has been connected or disconnected since the library was initially started up last fall). Would changing from the old firmware version to 2.33.0 on the library change the way it communicates on the bus?

I sent the eventlog files to ltt_team@hp.com just now.

[David Ruska]

Thank you for sending us the logs. Here's what they contain:

eventlog 3/29 14:23 - SenseKey - 0x0401
backup 1 3/29 13:43 - I/O exection - sharing violation
backup 2 3/29 13:41 - can't open class driver, or opened exclusively
backup 3 3/29 11:19 - SenseKey - 0x0401
backup 4 3/29 08:50 - "
backup 5 3/29 08:26 - "
backup 6 3/28 15:04 - "
backup 7 3/28 14:53 - "

The only device-reported problem is the same sense data Jan decoded earlier. The library says it's in the process of becoming ready.

Nothing would indicate SCSI problems, and as you confirmed, nothing had changed.

Perhaps the more interesting data is in two of the earlier event logs. They indicate a problem opening the device (sharing violation or perhaps opened exclusively). Are there any backup applications that might have the device open? Is win2000 RSM (Removable Storage Manager) running? Any applications that manage the device should be disabled before running LTT.

Resolving the above conflict may eliminate the 'not ready' problem, and then LTT will work fine.

[Mike DePriest]

Thanks for looking at the log files.

I get the same results with LTT no matter what is running. I have stopped all the Removable Storage Manager services and all the Veritas BackupExec services on the machine and there is no change in the way LTT behaves. I even get the same behavior when I boot into Safe Mode.

Your analysis cued me to something else, though. The last time I rebooted I noticed there was a new service startup failure in the system log (there are always others, that's why I didn't catch this immediately). It looks to be related to the tape system in some way:

"The following boot-start or system-start driver(s) failed to load:Thanks for looking at the log files.

I get the same results with LTT no matter what is running. I have stopped all the Removable Storage Manager services and all the Veritas BackupExec services on the machine and there is no change in the way LTT behaves. I even get the same behavior when I boot into Safe Mode.

Your analysis cued me to something else, though. The last time I rebooted I noticed there was a new service startup failure in the system log (there are always others, that's why I didn't catch this immediately). It looks to be related to the tape system in some way:
Thanks for looking at the log files.

I get the same results with LTT no matter what is running. I have stopped all the Removable Storage Manager services and all the Veritas BackupExec services on the machine and there is no change in the way LTT behaves. I even get the same behavior when I boot into Safe Mode.

Your analysis cued me to something else, though. The last time I rebooted I noticed there was a new service startup failure in the system log (there are always others, that's why I didn't catch this immediately). It looks to be related to the tape system in some way:

"The following boot-start or system-start driver(s) failed to load: dlttape-VRTS"

At this point I am wondering if there is a way to revert the firmware to the previous level without using LTT.

[Mike DePriest]

Sorry about the cut/paste problems in that last post

[Mike DePriest]

Followup and closeout information:

I got a script from the LTT team that allowed me to download the previous firmware version to the autoloader, and this brought it back to normal accessibility.

Thanks LTT Team!