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Re: Issues with Ultrium-3 Tape drive

 
Joshua Small_2
Valued Contributor

Issues with Ultrium-3 Tape drive

Hi,

Hot off the back of my 100+ post thread on the server forums, here's my newest issue.

I am running Windows 2003 R2, 64 bit edition, on a DL320 G5. Our tape drive is connected to an HP dedicated SCSI card.

We have of course checked drivers and firmware of both the tape drive and SCSI card as being the latest. The server itself has PSP 7.9 applied.

Using ntbackup, I'm seeing logs that error like this:

Error: The device reported an error on a request to write data to media.

Error reported: Hardware failure.

There may be a hardware or media problem.

It obviously looks to be a hardware problem, so we arranged for the replacement of the tape drive and then then SCSI card, and call cabling. This took quite some insisting, threatening and pushing, due to HP's insistance that it simply couldn't be hardware.

Anyway, we've had this issue with the "backlevel" engineers, which is allegedly the highest level of support, since the 24th July, who called today and stated they had reviewed the event viewer and satisfied themselves that the case could safely be resolved.

Since we purchased this server we haven't had a good backup. HP are vehemently refusing to provide any further support on the basis of this article:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/817688

The article is quite clear however that it refers to an issue corrected in SP1. I called Microsoft for giggles and they informed us the patch isn't even available for a 64 bit server, given that Windows x64 always came wtih Sp1. Three different technicians, many harsh phone calls and eveyr manner of blame shifting has assured us that the above Microsoft article makes this not HP's fault.

Any assistance on this would be most appreciated.
25 REPLIES 25
Joshua Scott
Honored Contributor

Re: Issues with Ultrium-3 Tape drive

What model of SCSI card is this? You should have and Ultra 320 speed SCSI card for the Ultrium 3 drives. What brand/model of tape drive is it?
What are the chances...
Joshua Small_2
Valued Contributor

Re: Issues with Ultrium-3 Tape drive

It's an HP branded tape drive supplied with the server, Ultrium 448.
The SCSI card is the LSI card that HP refer to only as "Dual channel Ultra 320 SCSI".
CLEB
Valued Contributor

Re: Issues with Ultrium-3 Tape drive

Hi

Have you tried using another backup product?

I wouldn't trust ntbackup to protect a floppy disk.

I know you can get a fully working 60 day evaluation of Brightstor ARCserve from www.ca.com

Sounds like you've spent too much time on it and should be looking at alternatives.

I use Ultrium 3 tapes drives, standalone models and MSL6000 models with no problem.
Joshua Scott
Honored Contributor

Re: Issues with Ultrium-3 Tape drive

I will just point out that the Ultrium 448 is an Ultrium 2 drive, not Ultrium 3, so make sure you are using the appropriate media.

Josh
What are the chances...
Joshua Small_2
Valued Contributor

Re: Issues with Ultrium-3 Tape drive

My error there..
The tape drive is an Ultrim 960, and yes a Ultrium 3- I made a post with reference to an incorrect drive.

The drive FAILS with IO ERROR the HP Library and Tape Tools test, but HP still are of the position that it's an OS bug.
Daniel McLaren M.
New Member

Re: Issues with Ultrium-3 Tape drive

Hello Joshua, I was wondering if you could post the following:

Go into the device manager look at the SCSI controller right click it and see if in the description of the device you find the following (storport) or (scsiport), also if you could please place the driver version you have. If you have the product number of the controller paste it too.

This may be a long shot, however several issues have been reported with the storport driver, and maybe you will have better results with the scsiport.

Please try the following if you find (storport) in the product description.

This is the link for a scsiport driver that should be correct based on the controller you described (restart the server after you install it):

http://h18023.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/download/22560.html

After you install that driver, try to run the LTT Installation Check, this is a seperate application from LTT you can find it as an additional icon the program group folder, try all options except the final 30 minute one, but before make sure you have removal storage disabled if not it will fail the tests. (remember to turn it back on after the tests if not ntbackup won't work well).

That test will show you any problems related to cabling, damaged termination, etc which may have been overlooked during troubleshooting.

If it does not return any errors try to run a simple backup using nt.
Joshua Small_2
Valued Contributor

Re: Issues with Ultrium-3 Tape drive

Thanks for the assistance. I will be trying that driver tonight and advising. Looking at the publish date and supported servers, am I right in understanding this is just an older edition of the driver?

The "supported servers" only appears to include an earlier edition of our server.

We are currently running:
LSI Adapter Ultra 320 SCSI 2000 Series (storport)
version 1.24.4.0


We have also applied the latest MS storport update, as an earlier attempt at fixing the issue.

Running the LTT Installation test actually passes (done that already). It's only the "read/write" test that ever causes a fail, and then it usually gets through 30-40 GB data before failing.

I am vigorously persueing this with HP, but their last communication was only to recommend disabling shadow copies.
CLEB
Valued Contributor

Re: Issues with Ultrium-3 Tape drive

I remember the SDLT drives used to have an issue where they would overheat after being used for too long. Perhaps some of the Ultriums have this issue too?
Daniel McLaren M.
New Member

Re: Issues with Ultrium-3 Tape drive

Yes Joshua, it is a older driver, but it is a scsiport driver, changing the driver to a older release might do the trick.