DLT 40/80 Tape stuck + Not reading tape SOLUTION

[Ayman Altounji]

8000 series DLT 40/80
Basically placing a new tape in the drive suddenly locked the tape in and started crunching whirring and the regular thing when your tape drive ***** itself. After you have done the usual testing (Cables, logged errors, RTFM)

Firstly call compaq just to open the call incase you cant fix it.
Now the calls logged open the drive up. To get the tape out thats jammed inside there is a small brass cylinder on the right push the head of this cylinder back and lift the handle on the front. The tape will come out. Now remove the plastic shielding over the tape spindle. Inside that spindle should be a piece of tape with a couple of notches. Ensure this tape is fed around the runners through the read head and attached to the working lever arm at the end. If not as was in my case carefully do this making sure not to get your grubby hands all over the tape and the read head.

This piece of tape you fed through actually catches hold of the tape ribbon and pulls it through onto the spindle.