HE: drive unload timeout Code: F5 94

[muclab]

Hi,

I have an HP LTO-6 drive in my MSL2024 that is having trouble with an HP LTO-6 tape:

It loaded normally, it formatted but I could not label it and I cannot unload it. When I try to, it takes a while and then returns "HE: drive unload timeout Code: F5 94". 

The tape cartidge looked perfectly fine from the outside and it has a barcode label. The library itself is also functioning normally with other tapes and another drive working fine.

I tried unloading the offensive tape from my backup software, from the library gui and from the ocp, turning the drive off and on again, rebooting the library, and force ejecting the tape from the ocp. Nothing works.

After rebooting, the library displayed "Invalid Cartridge".

Is there anything else I can try?

The only other option I can think of, is to remove the drive and try to remove the tape manually from the drive. But before I do, I want to exhaust all other options, if there are any left...

Thanks!

[muclab]

Any ideas?

If not, I will take any advice as to how to actually remove the tape from my drive.

Can I just pull it out or is there a mechanism that holds onto the drive? Will the tape be wound around any parts of the drive?

Status: I powered down the drive and removed it from the library.

So what next?

Thanks!

[SanjeevGoyal]

Hello,

Please follow the below steps.

Issue reported: HE: drive unload timeout Code: F5 94
This looks like a stuck tape in the drive.

1. Stop the backup software while following the below steps.
2. Disconnect the SAS cable.
3. You may follow the steps below to force eject the tape from the OCP .

From the Home screen, press Previous or Next until the screen displays Support. Press Enter to select.
Press Previous or Next until the screen displays Force Drive to Eject Tape. Press Enter to select.
Press Previous or Next until the screen displays Drive 1 or Drive 2. The second line on the display shows the bar code number of the tape or state Full. Press Enter to select the desired drive to eject the tape.
If the tape is successfully ejected from the drive, the screen displays the slot location where the tape was moved to.

OR

Use your application software to eject the cartridge. To protect against accidental tape ejection during a backup or restore operation, many applications prevent using the tape drive's eject button for media removal.
 

Use one of the drive utilities such as TDTool to unload the cartridge. If the backup application has prevented using the eject button, there are several tape drive utilities which can be used to override this condition and eject the cartridge. Depending on your tape drive model and your operating system, the following utilties can be used to unload tape. Refer to the readme or help file available with each utility for instructions on unloading a tape.
 

If you cannot eject the cartridge through the application, reset the tape drive. Some tape drive models allow you to reset the drive manually. Please check below for your specific drive model. If your drive model is not listed, continue to the next step.

Power cycle the tape drive off the bus. Power down the tape drive. If the tape drive is installed in an autoloader or library, this means power-cycling the autoloader or library. Remove the firewire cable or SCSI cable and SCSI terminator. Wait 10 seconds, then turn the tape drive back on. When the tape drive comes ready, press the unload button again.
Note for VXA tape drives: Depending on what function the drive was performing before the reset, the VXA drive may automatically start a format recovery process, which involves reading the data to determine where the end of data is located. This may take as long as 2 to 3 hours. Wait for the format recovery to complete and the tape drive to come ready, and then press the unload button again to eject the tape.

Perform a manual tape extraction procedure. A manual tape extraction should only be performed in an emergency situation. Tandberg Data does not assume responsibility for any damage to the tape drive, the data cartridge, or the tape or for the loss of any data resulting from these procedures. Any damage to the tape drive caused by this procedure will be repaired as a nonwarranty repair and may void the existing warranty for the tape drive.
 
If the cartridge appears to be stuck in the tape drive, return the tape drive for service. If you still cannot eject the cartridge, you may need to return the tape drive for repair with the cartridge in place.

If none of the above works then call HP support for a drive replacement.

If you feel this was helpful please click the KUDOS! thumb below and accept the solution.
Regards,

[muclab]

Thank you.

Unfortunately, nothing I tried - whether from my backup software, nor from the web interface nor directly at the libary triggered the drive to eject the tape.

I ended up removing the tape from the library and ejecting the tape manually.

[SanjeevGoyal]

Hello,

Please confirm, your tape drive issue resolve or not.

If you feel this was helpful please click the KUDOS! thumb below and accept the solution.
Regards,

[muclab · Accepted solution]

Confirming that I have resolved the issue by manually removing the tape from the drive.

Thanks