can't read from tape

[David Preston_4]

Hi,
I have a k200 HPUX10.20, this machine will write a tape (DDS2) but will not read the tape, tape can be read in another K, but no tapes created using any method will completely read.
using TAR as an example, I tarredthe /etc directory onto a tape, then tried a -tv :
the result was much of the archive displaying, then "Directory Checksum Error"
the error occurs each time, but in different locations each time.

I tried hardware :
tape drive, internal scsi cable, core i/o board
everything other than backplane,
I look at SW, and don't think it is an issue, I used Ignite from a production machine (the other K) so SW should be an exact match.

I have heard 2 things, 1) its the back plane, get another box, and 2) it sounds like a read buffer

any comments or suggestions??

Thanks for all the help
Dav

[Helen French]

Hi,

Check this out:

http://us-support2.external.hp.com/cki/bin/doc.pl/sid=2d23200f14dd358559/screen=ckiDisplayDocument?docId=200000007948507

HTH,
Shiju

[David Preston_4]

Pretty much what I tried, responses after *

1-4 command issues:
*Not an issue, tried multiple commands, tar on to tape worked tar off tape did not.
5. Check to make sure that tar is the current patched version for the operating system and also any kernel drivers that have been patched.
* as I said before, ingnited from working system that will read the tapes.
6. Do not rule out hardware. Attempt to archive off some files to a scratch tape and restore them. Make sure that the drive is performing as it normally should.
*** tried replacing Drive and most other componants - see initial post.

[Roger Baptiste]

How about issues with
Terminator?
Tape switch settings?
Cable? (is it the right scsi cable?)

At the software end (if driver is ok),
- does cpio read/write work?
- does dd work?

HTH
raj

[harry d brown jr]

David,

Is the production K, a K200?

What is the SCSI id? Could you post an ioscan of the other devices on that path? Have you tried removing the other internal devices, as they could be causing the problem? Have you replaced the power supply?


live free or die
harry

[Volker Borowski]

Hello,

this sounds rare, if you can write, but not read on this machine what you have written.

But you can read the tape from this machine on another one ???? (Ever heard, that the tape can only be read on the machine that created it which seems to be a symptom of head-de-justage!)

Considering this I would assume a defective or dirty read-head on your source tape-drive. Try overcleaning (4-5 times) and consider to replace the drive.

Volker

[David Preston_4]

Thanks for all the responses, but I have tried most of the suggestions.

I have replaced the scsi cable already, that includes the terminator.

I have replaced the Tape Drive itself, with no change in result.

The other K is a 220, meaning processor speed is 120 instead of 110, all other configuration is similar.

so I am at my original questions,
1) is there a tape read buffer?
2) is thereanything other than the backplane that could still be at fault.

one last piece of data, a single file will read and write without a problem, it only fails on directory structures. that wouldn't be too bad, but you don't install a file at a time.

Dav

[Ian Dennison_1]

What patch level are you at for the following,...

Firmware?
Support Bundle Level?
'stape' and 'scsi' drivers?

Is there any patching you need to catch up on?

Cheers, Ian Dennison

[Carlos Fernandez Riera]

See:

http://forums.itrc.hp.com/cm/QuestionAnswer/1,,0x8d51a22831ebd5118ff40090279cd0f9,00.html

[Frank Slootweg]

Somewhat of a long shot, but if I remember correctly at some point in time there was some kind of *class* (i.e. all units of that class) problem with certain DDS-2 drives. If you have such a case, that could explain why exchanging the drive did not solve the problem.

So if you have no other clues to go on, I advise to log a hardware call (they will need the product 'number' (letter, four digits, letter(s)) of the *unit*, i.e. *not* the "Description" returned by ioscan(1M)).

[K.Vijayaragavan.]

Hi,

Have you checked the volatages (+12v DC and +5v DC) that goes to tape drive?

Just have check on this too as you have gone upto the extend of changing the back plane.
-Vijay