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Non-responding DDS2 DAT drive ..

 
Johnrh
Occasional Contributor

Non-responding DDS2 DAT drive ..

I have a Alpha-Server 4000 with a internal DDS2 DAT drive in the lower shelf that is failing to respond ..... After that the drive was pulled and now I would like to insert it back into the shelf. It resides in a snapin storage works carrier and I was wondering if this is a hot swapable unit ... and if not could I power off the bus temporarily to insert the drive then power it back up?? It has a RZ29B-VW module on the same bus. I am hoping the power cycle will restore the unit if not how best can I gain control of this device ??

Thanks,

John
3 REPLIES 3
rich pattison
Trusted Contributor

Re: Non-responding DDS2 DAT drive ..

The StorageWorks shelf will support hot swapping the drive - but that doesn't mean the SCSI bus and O/S will be OK. Any insertion/removal can cause a 'glitch'. Most of the time hot-plugging works OK, but there are no guarantees, especially if you have other active devices on the same bus. The only thing you can do if you have to hot-plug is to ensure there is no activity on the bus first.

I wouldn't really advise switching the shelf off as this would be an even more unpredictable operation.

You don't say what operating system this is - and why the device initially failed to respond. Did it produce an error, or simply disappear from the bus ??

The ideal thing to do would be to shutdown the system, insert the drive, then reboot - but I guess this is not practical ????
Johnrh
Occasional Contributor

Re: Non-responding DDS2 DAT drive ..

The OS is VMS and the drive simply wouldn't respond or eject. I think the best thing to do is wait and insert the drive after a shutdown and reboot the system to prevent a glitch then see what we have. Thanks.
rich pattison
Trusted Contributor

Re: Non-responding DDS2 DAT drive ..

Just a couple of other things..........

These shelves can set the SCSI ID of the drive by slot location, or by switches on the tape drive - (depending on a switch setting on the shelf itself). To be safe - make sure you don't change any switch settings, and plug the tape unit back into the same slot it came out of. It's a good idea to check the SCSI ID's at the SRM prompt: (>>> sho dev) - to make sure it doesn't conflict with the disk in there.

Also - it might be a good idea to check the firmware rev. (I think it should be at least 4BQE)