Net Server - DAT24i Tape Drive Issue

[Jim Mallett]

Server: NetServer E 800
OS: Windows NT 4.0 Server SP6a
Tape Drive: Internal SureStore DAT24

This is one of those things that happens too infrequently to dive into the problem (normally every 4 or 5 months), but it has happened once a week for the past 3 weeks.

Using BackupExec a nightly backup kicks off, the pre-exec shuts down the database, and then a message comes up in the BackupExec log:
"Tape Drive Mount Failed"
There is nothing in the NT Event Viewer that corresponds with this, on or before the backup attempt. After this happens, the tape drive is completely unresponsive. There is a tape in it but it won't eject. The only way up until now to get the tape out is to reboot.

It is using the 4mmdat.sys driver (dated: 11/18/99), does anybody know if that is the most recent?

I've run LTT and all it says is they should run a cleaning tape through more often (which I do).

Has anybody seen anything like this, I haven't found anything searching? Or can anybody suggest anything to look into?

Also, are there any command line tools for tape manipulation for NT? ie: Unix has the mt command.

Thanks....
Jim Mallett

[Eugeny Brychkov · Accepted solution]

Jim,
use cleaning tape after every 5 full backups of 20 tape pulling hours.
You should look at the SCSI bus. Check cable(s), terminator(s), and finally try replacing card with HP recommended one http://www.hp.com/cposupport/information_storage/support_doc/lpg50063.html
Also recall what has happened to the server prior this problem appearance - did you connect another device to this SCSI bus, for example?
Eugeny

[Jim Mallett]

Eugeny,

Thanks for the response. This problem has been around even before they brought me in at the site so I'm not sure what changes were made. This time reboots didn't allow me get the tape out so I went ahead and pulled the cover off and checked the terminators. I must've shook something right because it was working when I brought it back up.

I didn't want to bring it down because I found about 3" of dust inside and I knew the HDs would act after I shut down, this machine has been up for quite some time with only reboots, no shutdowns.

Well, thanks again and it's always a pleasure reading your replies here and in the BCDG.

Jim

[Joe Short]

Jim,

I ran into a similar situation a long time ago. It turned out to be the installer had used the wrong termintaing resistor. An intermittant problem occurred where the tape drive would suddenly disappear. The server could not see it. Some times rebooting the tape drive helped sometimes the server had to be rebooted. Verify that the correct resistor was installed. If it was, it may need to be reseated, or replaced. They very rarely fail, so no one ever thinks to check them out. Let me know if you need another, I may have one in my bag of tricks.

Joe