DLT 7000 1/8

[rich szalkowski]

I had a tape in the drive that was "bad" in that it totally unwound from the cart to the takeup spool... Pulled the drive out, removed the "empty" cart and pulled all of the tape off the takeup spool... Reinstalled the drive, reconnected everything and powered it up... Now the problem...

I think the tape drive "still thinks" that there is a cart in the drive... It goes thru, over and over again, a drive test... I can hear the takeup spool spinning inside the unit each time it goes thru this process... The drive spins that takeup spool and is trying to catch the leader on a tape cart but there is no cart in the drive....

How do I reset this so that the tape drive stops looking for the cart leader?

[Marino Meloni_1]

I'm not sure about this but try, it may be the solution:
There is an optical sensor in the tape path that have to identify the BOT (begining of tape) and EOT (End Of Tape).
This sensor pass throught a whole and then have to identify a whole in the tape itsefl. These whole have to indicate some positions of the tape.

The despooling usualy is caused by this sensor, not identifying the EOT, then the end is reached at the max speed, and then detached from the cartridge.

To solve this, try to clean the whole in front of the sensor, have a look at the attached image

[Peter Godron]

Rich,
can't you just insert another cart?
The drive would then catch the new tape, be happy and you can then unload.
Regards

[rich szalkowski]

I thought of that.. Took the drive out again but the 2 prongs that lock the cart in the drive are in the upright position and I can't get them down. So I put the drive back in, kept the outside door of the unit open, went into "test" from the operator panel, lowered the internal drive door (handle) via the lcd, then tried to insert the cart while at the same time using the lcd to "close" the internal drive handle with the lcd but it wouldn't work..

[Peter Godron]

Rich,
if you have tried all the other suggested solutions and the fault is not corrected,it may be worthwhile contacting your hardware support contact.
If you have not got a contract, this is what we have done in the past to eject/insert cartriges: Only attempt as last resort!
1. Lift the lid
2. On the right (when viewed from the front) there is a level that controls the handle
3. Unlock the handle, insert tape, reassemble and test (check that the tape leader is caught)

NB: I have had a problem in the past with tape being wound onto the spool by the positioning process, but as the rewind motor into the cart failed, the whole tape was taken. This is not what happened initially ?

[Andrew Hazell]

If you are unable to reslove the problem yourself I am able to offer a repair on these.

Regards

Andrew

[rich szalkowski]

Andres..

Send me an email on this..

rich@alarmsz.com