Restore troubles

[Martien Korenblom]

I've got the following problem:

One of our customers is creating a backup on a HP Surestore DLT-1e (80G) tape-unit on a DLT IV tape.

We tried to read the customers tape with a:
- HP Surestore 35-70: the cleaning LED starts shining :)
- HP Surestore 40-80: the unit keeps winding the tape.
- Compaq SDLT 110/220: it reports an empty tape

The customer also sent us a backup made with a VS-80, we've the same problems with that tape.

According to the compatibilitymatrix it should be possible to read the tapes of the customer with one of our units, but none of them work.

What is our problem...or the customers???

[Leif Halvarsson_2]

Hi,
Are you quite sure about compatiblity (I am not). Check this document:
http://www.hp.com/products1/storage/products/tapebackup/dlt_tapedrives/dltvs80_drives/specs.html

I have read about compatiblity problem between DLT1, DLT vs80 and other DLT drives (different head technology).

[Eugeny Brychkov]

Please download and install HP Library and Tape Tools from http://www.hp.com/cposupport/information_storage/support_doc/lpg50128.html and check your drive/update its firmware. Generate support ticket, look at it. You may find useful information about compatibility, hardware compression state, etc
Eugeny

[Jon Mattatall]

Looks bad...

At a glance here -

http://www.hp.com/cposupport/information_storage/support_doc/lpg50139.html

You SHOULD be good for read-only with a SDLT, but not a DLT 40, 70, or 80.

Same thing should apply to the VS-80 tape.

Jon

[Ralf Loehmann_2 · Accepted solution]

Some addon to Jon's reply. The only common thing for all the different drive DLT-1, VS-80 and DLT4k,7k,8k was the media. DLT-1 and VS-80 was designed from a different company (even now it is Quantum) and they were only using the already available cartridge for their design ideas. That is also the reason why DLT4k could be read (DLT7K, 8K was not out and they wanted to get into the market). Another reason, because it might not be able to read from DLT7k, DLT8k (different head design as DLT4k drive, would have made the drive to expensive). S-DLT might be able to read, but you might check Quantums webpage or support (There might be drives which are not downwards compatible). Quantum also says, that the SDLT 220 should be able to read. You might need to check, why the customer drive does it not do.
Check: http://www.quantum.com/am/support/dlttapedrivesmedia/technicaldocuments/media_compatibility

The DLTtape Handbook is also interesting stuff to read for background about all of that (DLT stuff).

Regards,
Ralf.