rewind/test tape device

[Ravinder Singh Gill]

our backup failed last night. the logs said there was a problem with the tape device. i want to test the tape device and have had a tape loaded into it. how can i test the tape device or rewing the tape to make sure it is okay?

[Pete Randall · Accepted solution]

You can run the diagnostic program cstm against it. You can write a tar file to it. You can rewind it with the mt command: "mt -t /dev/rmt/Xmn rew" or "mt -t /dev/rmt/Xmn offl"


Pete

[Ravinder Singh Gill]

in /dev/rmt if i do ls, the only Xnm I can see is 0mn. However when i do "mt -t /dev/rmt/0mn rew" it says no such device or address. Can anyone advise?

[Mahesh Kumar Malik]

Hi Rawinder

There is possibility of hardware failure. However check in ioscan for availibility of drive. Else use Offline Diagnostic Environment (ODE)for HW testing of drive.

Regards
Mahesh

[Ravinder Singh Gill]

thanks guys i think i know what the problem was.

[Ravinder Singh Gill]

how do i check if there is a tape in the drive?

[Pete Randall]

mt (-t /dev/rmt/_m) status


Pete

[Jeff Schussele]

mt status

If it reports a tape type - it's in

HTH,
Jeff

[Ravinder Singh Gill]

Drive: Quantum DLT4000
Format: DLT 85937 bpi 52 quad-tracks compressed (70 GB)
Status: [41118585] BOT online compression immediate-report-mode
File: -1
Block: -1

is it the format which is specifying there is a tape?

[Patrick Wallek]

The format and status indicate a tape is in the drive. The "BOT" means it is at the "Beginning of Tape" mark on the tape.

[Pete Randall]

If it was empty, it would look like this:

mt -t /dev/rmt/6m status
Drive: QUANTUM DLT8000
Format:
Status: [0]
File: 0
Block: 0


Pete

[A. Clay Stephenson]

Do an "mt -f /dev/rmt/Xmnb status" and examine the Status line. If no tape is is the drive you will see something like:
Status [0]
If a tape is inserted you will see something like:
Status [nnnnnnnn] BOT Desc more description

[Ravinder Singh Gill]

how do i make sure i am checking the DLT drive and not the DAT drive?

[Pete Randall]

Check ioscan to make sure you've got the right device file. A DAT drive would look something like this:


tape 6 0/0/8/0/0/1/0.0.0 stape CLAIMED DEVICE HP C1537A


While a DLT would say QUANTUM DLT8000 or something similar in place of C1537A.


Pete

[Patrick Wallek]

Well, in the status output from the MT command you will see DLT or DDS in the "Drive" portion.

If it says DLT, you are looking at the DLT drive.

[Ravinder Singh Gill]

thanx guys