checking scsi devices

[phil foster]

Hi-

I have a scsi tape drive that stopped responding over the weekend, I do an ioscan -f
and see the device listed there still, but omniback can't see the device anymore.
I wanted to eliminate the possibility of the tape drive not working, so I was looking for something to execute at the command line to check my tape device to see if it's responding to the system. Any ideas?

[Kofi ARTHIABAH · Accepted solution]

Phil:

does
# ioscan -fnC tape
return SW state of CLAIMED? if it does, then you can try the following commands:

# mt -t /dev/rmt/?? rew (where ?? is the devicename - this rewinds a tape in it)
# mt -t /dev/rmt/?? offl (this ejects a loaded tape)

good luck
PS. If the ioscan returns NO_HW then the system is no longer able to sense the tape drive

[phil foster]

thanks. that did it for me.

[Andreas Voss]

Hi,

you could do a mt -t rew
to see if the drive is ok. (only works if tape is inserted)

Regards