DDS4 tape drive not detected on hp-ux 11i system

[Thomas Greig]

we have a RP3440 hp-ux 11i server which we have had a DDS4 tape-drive connected to for a while.

After I disconnected the tape-drive for a while, I'm not able to detect it again after re-connecting it.

I have tried 3 different DDS4 tape-drives.. connected to 2 different scsi-connections ( SCSI C1010 Ultra160 Wide LVD and SCSI C1010 Ultra160 Wide LVD A6829-60101). The DDS4 is Ultra80.. could it be that the Ultra160 is causing the problems? (I would assume it goes down to 80 when a 80 is connected...?)

We first thought maybe two of the DDS4-tapedrives had failed mysteriously at the same time.. but since the third tape-drive is not detected either we think it must be another reason for the problem.

stape is installed (the DDS4 have been used before it was disconnected).

the system has been powered down when we connect/disconnect the tapedrives.

njord 98: /usr/sbin/ioscan -C tape -fun
Class I H/W Path Driver S/W State H/W Type Description
==============================================================
=======
tape 0 0/1/1/1.5.0 stape CLAIMED DEVICE HP Ultrium 2-SCSI
/dev/rmt/0m /dev/rmt/0mn /dev/rmt/c3t5d0BEST /dev/rmt/c3t5d0BESTn /dev/rmt/lto
/dev/rmt/0mb /dev/rmt/0mnb /dev/rmt/c3t5d0BESTb /dev/rmt/c3t5d0BESTnb

Attached is "swlist -l product" and "ioscan -fn"

[Thomas Greig]

abit more info : I have tested that the scsi-connection works by connecting a DiskSystem 2100 on the scsi. that worked fine.

[Morcos]

Hi Thomas,
Can you check the stape driver in kernel if it's out out that's the cause of the problem.

Ziad

[Mahesh Kumar Malik]

Hi Thomas

rp3440 external SCSI port is Ultra3 SCSI (U320). Ultra 2 (U160) devices may work but U80 is a big doubt????

Regards
Mahesh

[Thomas Greig]

according to the IO interface-list it's only Ultra160 installed in our rp3440.

Earlier we had a cdrom/dvdrom connected between our dds4-tapes. We had to move this to another location and after that we are not able to detect the tapes.

(stape is in the kernel).

[Rajesh SB]

Hi,

Note down the written Hardware Path where you have connected the DDS4 drive. Verify this HW Path info in "ioscan -f" command output.

# ioscan -f

Try to re-generate the device files
# insf -e -C tape

# ioscan -fnC tape

Let me know the output.

Regards,
Rajesh

[V. Nyga]

Hi,

you can see the drive in ioscan, but you can't get access? Or is the Ultrium another tape drive?
Did you use the same scsi-connection?
Have you checked that no scsi address/id at the bus is double and none has the 7?
Have you installed the terminator?

Volkmar

[Thomas Greig]

the tape is not detected at all during ioscan so the insf will not help.

The LTO Ultrium is another tape-drive.

the terminator is connecteda and nothing else have the scsi-id.

[V. Nyga]

Hi again,

I believe the drive is switched on? ;-) ok

What's about UNCLAIMED devices in ioscan?
You said 'Attached is "swlist -l product" and "ioscan -fn"', but I don't see it.
What is listed in /dev/rmt?
Check 'rmsf', maybe it could solve your problem.

V.

[Muthukumar_5]

Try to check physical cable connection. If it is correct and go to hp-ux console and try to see console information for detection of Ultrium 2-SCSI during startup of machine.

# mt -f status
# tar -cvf /etc

If problem is still there then, try to remove the special files with rmsf and reboot it.

hth.

[Thomas Greig]

I'll try to attatch it again

[Torsten.]

Hi Thomas,

perhaps there is a problem with the cable. Did you use the same cable with the different drives?
What kind of drive you are using? Is there any part# on it?

[Thomas Greig]

unfortunately no. I've tried 2 cables.
also the disksystem worked fine with the same cable.

only thing I have not tried is another terminator..

[V. Nyga]

Hi again,

is this 'ioscan -fun' or 'ioscan -fn'?
Option 'u' only shows usable devices.

V.

[Thomas Greig]

ioscan -fn
and swlist -l product

[Anoop P_2]

Please check the terminator... I have strong doubts on it now.

[Thomas Greig]

I have tried another Terminator with no luck.
I also tried to connect the DDS between the LTO and the RP3440 server but then nothing was detected.

[Thomas Greig]

just for info:
this is a ioscan from before we removed the DVD-rom that was between the DDS4 and the hp-ux server:

disk 5 0/4/1/1.2.0 sdisk CLAIMED DEVICE HP DVD-ROM 305
/dev/dsk/c5t2d0 /dev/rdsk/c5t2d0
target 12 0/4/1/1.3 tgt CLAIMED DEVICE
tape 1 0/4/1/1.3.0 stape CLAIMED DEVICE HP C5713A
/dev/rmt/1m /dev/rmt/c5t3d0BESTnb
/dev/rmt/1mb /dev/rmt/c5t3d0DDS
/dev/rmt/1mn /dev/rmt/c5t3d0DDSb
/dev/rmt/1mnb /dev/rmt/c5t3d0DDSn
/dev/rmt/c5t3d0BEST /dev/rmt/c5t3d0DDSnb
/dev/rmt/c5t3d0BESTb /dev/rmt/dat_exch
/dev/rmt/c5t3d0BESTn

after the DVD-rom was removed, we can not detect the DDS

[Vincent Farrugia]

Hello,

This is strange indeed.

What I can think of at this point is SCSI IDs. When two devices share the same SCSI ID, usually nothing is detected. Check that you did not put the SCSI ID of your tape drive to match the one of the DVD-ROM. In any case, if you connect your tape drive alone, it should see it, if there are no hardware problems, that is.

According to partsurfer, your drive is a DDS4 autoloader.

From experience, whenever a tape drive is not seen AT ALL from ioscan there was either:

1) 2 or more devices with the same SCSI ID on the same channel
2) Bad cable
3) Bad terminator
4) Bad drive

Did you try to install your autoloader in an alternate server? Did it work there? I know that 3 tape drives usually do not fail on you on the same day, but it is worth trying.

Cable seems fine, otherwise DS2100 would not be seen as well.

DDS4 drives are Ultra 2 LVD, which should work on U160 since it is backward-compatible. Even U320 is backward-compatible to LVD AND SE.

It would be nice to send us how you managed to work this one out cuz it seems interesting :-)

HTH,
Vince

[Rajesh SB]

Hi Thomas,

Can you verify the kernel module tape2 is enabled to detect DDS tape drive.

# kmsystem |grep tape2
Out put should be
tape2 Y -

If not enabled, make this kernel module in and reboot. System detects.

Good luck,

Regards,
Rajesh

[Thomas Greig]

Vincent.
Unfortunately we have not worked it out yet. We just received in another hp-ux box with LVD-connection, and this detected the DDS4-drive without any problems. so it seems that the cables are OK, the terminator is OK and the DDS4 is OK.

[Thomas Greig]

kmsystem |grep tape2
tape2 Y -
tape2_included Y -

[Vincent Farrugia]

Oooohhh... I found this while searching, which can answer your question:

http://www.hp.com/products1/storage/compatibility/tapebackup/PA-RISC/detail/16-0013-0003.html

It states that:

NOTE: The HP StorageWorks DAT40 must be connected to the second channel of the SCSI controller and no disk drive should be present in disk slot ID2. If this channel is in use (either by disk slot ID2 or another external device) or you have the Ultra320 variant of the HP 9000 rp34xx series , please use one of the following HBAs:

A6828A - Single-Channel Ultra3 SCSI HBA (for HP-UX)
A6829A - Dual-Channel Ultra3 SCSI HBA (for HP-UX)
A5838A - Dual-Channel Ultra2 SCSI HBA with dual LAN
A7173A - Dual-channel Ultra320 SCSI HBA

ID 2 is usually taken by the DVD-ROM :-)

I hope this helps!

Vince