DDS-3 Cannot eject tape from Drive or do any other operation

[Yogeeraj_1]

Hello experts!

I am having a problem with my Tape Drive since this morning. I have already inserted the tape cartridge (have been used several times previously) in it but it does not show any activity!

And i can't even eject it from the drive!

I have tried the following operations - Still not OK:
# mt -t /dev/rmt/0m offl
/dev/rmt/0m: No such device or address
# tar -tvf /dev/rmt/0m
tar: cannot open /dev/rmt/0m


Additional Information:
# lssf /dev/rmt/0m
stape card instance 3 SCSI target 0 SCSI LUN 0 at&t best density available at am
# ioscan -funC tape
Class I H/W Path Driver S/W State H/W Type Description
======================================================================
tape 0 10/12/5.0.0 stape CLAIMED DEVICE HP C1537A
/dev/rmt/0m /dev/rmt/c3t0d0BESTb
/dev/rmt/0mb /dev/rmt/c3t0d0BESTn
/dev/rmt/0mn /dev/rmt/c3t0d0BESTnb
/dev/rmt/0mnb /dev/rmt/dds2nc
/dev/rmt/c3t0d0BEST
#

# mediainit -v /dev/rmt/0m
mediainit: can't open file /dev/rmt/0m - No such device or address
#


Any help will be most welcomed.

Thank you in advance

Best Regards
Yogeeraj

[James Murtagh]

Hi,

Try holding the eject button down for about 40 seconds? This normally works on DDS drives unless the tape is mangled in there. Is the power light on the drive?

Also, use ioscan without the -u option.

Regards,

James.

[Rajeev Shukla]

Hi Yogeeraj,
This happens some times, even i have experienced once. Its because the tape drive hasn't senced the tape is in the drive. This could be because of the faulty sensor in the DDS drive. The best is to replace the drive, since its sure the drive is defective and remove the tape if you have ever opened the tape drive or get HP engineer to do that for you & if the tape is important he can even give u back if you want so.

Cheers
Rajeev

[Rajeev Shukla]

Just an addition to the same one. The media sensor is bad in the drive, either open and clean if that helps or ask HP to replace the drive.

[Yogeeraj_1]

hi all,

Thank you for the replies!

1. Output of IOSCAN without "u"

# ioscan -fnC tape
Class I H/W Path Driver S/W State H/W Type Description
======================================================================
tape 0 10/12/5.0.0 stape CLAIMED DEVICE HP C1537A
/dev/rmt/0m /dev/rmt/c3t0d0BESTb
/dev/rmt/0mb /dev/rmt/c3t0d0BESTn
/dev/rmt/0mn /dev/rmt/c3t0d0BESTnb
/dev/rmt/0mnb /dev/rmt/dds2nc
/dev/rmt/c3t0d0BEST
#

Is the same!

2. Hold down the eject button for 40 seconds.
Unfortunately, cannot do it right now. Have to wait for monday.

3. Media Sensor
In case 2. does not work. Will have to contact HP support for the replacement. Very strange, we have already changed the drive twice in the past 5 years.

thank you again for the replies.

Will update this post on Monday

Best regards
Yogeeraj

[Krishna Prakash_1]

Hi

You can try cold restarting the system. This should help you.

[Eugeny Brychkov]

Yogeeraj,
holding eject button will force drive to do 'emergency eject'. Please note if doing it drive will flash leds. If yes, then eject is in progress, but if not then drive is faulty (no power, firmware failure, etc).
Please also note that you HAVE TO clean DDS drives after each 5 full backups or 20 tape pulling hours. If you'll not follow this rule, drive and data media will not live long life.
I feel that emergency eject will help you. It may not help only in case if tape is physically jammed in the drive's mech. Anyway, after you (or HP engineer) will get media from the drive it's not recommended to re-use it again to avoid similar possible issues in the future
Eugeny

[Steven E. Protter]

We had one system an Omniback backup system for the entire organization eat a dozen DDS-3 drives.

We were pushing it beyond its design.

Its not uncommon for heavily used DDS drives to fail.

Steve

[John Bolene]

2 times in past 5 years?

We normally replace drives about every 2 or 3 years, sometimes after 2 months.

Tapes get stuck, drive eats tape, drive needs cleaning after 2 or 3 tapes.

All symptoms of needing replaced.

[Eugeny Brychkov]

See my previous reply. DDS/DAT drive should be cleaned properly. Failing to do it shortens drive's life significantly
Eugeny