HP StorageWorks 1/8 Tape and Ultrium 460 tape firmware

[eran70]

Hi,
we have several HP StorageWorks 1/8 Tape Autoloaders with Ultrium 460 tapes.
Recently tape on one of our Autoloaders was replaced and I tried to check if any firmware update for tape required.
We have HP StorageWorks Library and Tape Tools 4.0 SR2 with October 2005 Firmware Bundle installed on windows 2000 server connected to this autoloader (the server is ML370 G3).
I have "no matching file" message for tape firmware when I go to firmware tab of HP LTT (and "new rev" column is empty). Current tape firmware detected as "F59W" version.
Rest of our Autoloaders tapes have "F7BP" firmware version and "new rev" column detected also as "F7BP".
The question is why we have "no matching file" message for replaced tape?
Is October 2005 Firmware Bundle is last ?
Thanks

[Jim Mallett]

I rarely get the proper firmware for my drives when downloading/installing HP-LTT. I can only guess that it's because there are so many different releases for so many different drives the package would be too large. I use the following link to download the specific firmware I need. I also see the F7BP release you are looking for.

ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/information_storage/software/ltt/firmware/

As always, be very careful when uploading firmware. I used to be the guy that would get the latest release of everything. After getting burned a few times, I'm the guy that updates firmware when I'm either told it's manditory or it specifically fixes a bug that is impacting me.

Jim

[eran70]

Jim, thanks for the answer.

1) I see LTT_Ultrium_2-SCSI_F7BP_OEM18.frm file in C:\Program Files\HP StorageWorks Library and Tape Tools\firmware - it installed with October 2005 Firmware Bundle .
But probably this firmware not match our replaced tape. As I wrote before - rest of out tapes have F7BP firmware and we want to have SAME firmware on all our tapes.
So question is what is the difference between F7BP/OEM18 firmware (we have this firmware on all our Ultrium 460 tapes) and F59W/OEM20 firmware (we have this firmware on replaced tape). Furtermore, F59W firmware is not included in HP StorageWorks 1/8 Tape Autoloaders Firmware Bundle , so I am worry about replaced tape - probably this tape is not certificated to work with 1/8 Tape Autoloader ? (although we didn't see any problems right now).

2)>>>As always, be very careful when uploading firmware
We never run to install new firmware, we just want to have SAME firmware on all our tapes, servers, printers, ....

Thanks !

[eran70]

Any comments from HP peoples ?

[Jaclyn Rothe]

You need to select your autoloader (not the drive) on the by product tab...
go to 'file' and select 'get files from web'. You select Autoloader FW REV: 1.46 and Drive FW REV:N12R.
once this is downloaded you can proceed with the firmware button in LTT. You put an X in each of the boxes (autoloader and drive)
then you shall see an current rev: and new rev: show up for both unit.
WARNING YOU CAN NOT FLASH FIRMWARE ON THE INDIVIDUAL PARTS OF AUTOLOADERS OR LIBRARIES. YOU NEED TO SELECT ALL THE PARTS (ie; drive and autoloader) OR YOU WILL DAMAGE THE AUTOLOADER.

[Jaclyn Rothe]

Library drives and internal drive work differently. parts of 1/8 autoloaders are never intended to be swapped out or replaced, if the drive goes bad then you need a new unit. You can not install an internal drive in an autoloader or library because it uses different firmware then an autoloder drive.

[AwadheshPandey]

if ur firmware is latest version then it shows only empty that no maching version found.

Awadhesh

[eran70]

Jaclyn, thanks for the anwsers.

>>You need to select your autoloader (not the drive)
Of cource I select autoloader

>>and select 'get files from web'.
I don't have Internet connection on servers,
so I download and installed October 2005 Firmware Bundle, but this bundle doesn't contain firmware for replaced tape.

>>>parts of 1/8 autoloaders are never intended to be swapped out or replaced, if the drive goes bad then you need a new unit. You can not install an internal drive in an autoloader or library because it uses different firmware then an autoloder drive

So, in short - new tape installed in our autoloader instead broken tape is NOT SUITABLE for our 1/8 autoloader ?
Should we request from our hardware support to replace this tape?
(although we didn't see any problems with this tape/autoloader right now, except firmware issue).