Backup Exec 8.5 reports TL891 offline

[Ayman Altounji]

We have been having a problem with a new Compaq TL891 Library and Backup Exec. The problem is now fixed but I wanted to report the details of the fix on the forum.

The configuration we have is Compaq ML380 Server, Adaptec AHA-2944-UW Differential SCSI Adapter, Windows 2000 + SP1, Compaq TL891 DLT Library and Backup Exec 8.5.

Problem was that the autoloader was reported as being offline, and would not come online. We checked the cables, the termination and power to all devices without resolving the problem.

We then trawled the support web sites of Compaq, Adaptec and Veritas. Compaq Customer Advisory number EX990902_CW01 was noted as being potentially relevant, although it states that the fix is only applicable if the firmware rev is 4.09 (our library was shipped with 5.14). Changing the SCSI Id of the library robotics to be 1 (instead of 0), as recommended in the Customer Advisory, cured the problem. (Although we had to uninstall and re-install Backup Exec before it realised that the SCSI Id had changed.)

Best Wishes

Tony Langdon
IT Infrastructure Manager
Phones4U Direct

[Ayman Altounji]

Sir, Thank you very much for posting this. We were having some similar problems with our TL891 Library and Backupexec as well. When I would attempt to inventory and erase my tapes at the beginning of the weekly tape rotation, the program would lock up, I could not manually eject the tape from the drive, I could not remove the magazine because it said it was "locked". Re booting the server was the only thing that freed this condition, and I ended up having to rebut my server several times each Monday.
When I looked at the Customer Advisory #EX990902_CW01 that you reference, it made perfect sense. I know that the scsi card itself is set to SCSI ID 0, so I changed my SCSI ID of the library robotics to be 1 instead of 0, and after the re start the server was responding *immediately* better. I can now run my erase jobs back to back. I did not have to re install Backupexec. Thank you for posting this that helped me resolve my situation.

Many Thanks,
Ruth Lee
Technology Consultant
Insource Technology

[Ayman Altounji]

P.S. The "EDIT" portion of this forum does not work.