tape drive broken?

[Steven Chen_1]

Our HP35480A tape drive on HPUX 10.10 behaves recently. The followings are what I tested after no backup was done:

----------------------------------------
#tar cvf /dev/rmt/c0t0d0BEST /tmp/aaa
a /tmp/aaa 22 blocks
tape hardware path 56/52.0.0.0: No close operations performed.

#tar tvf /dev/rmt/c0t0d0BEST
Tar: tape read error
-----------------------------------------

Using ioscan does find the tape drive like
"56/52.0.0 tape HP HP35480A". Using SAM finds the drives too.

Please help with diagnosis.

[Jennifer Chiarelli]

Check the cable connections. Use a good cleaning tape. If the problem still exists,
I would call HP to service / replace the unit.

[Kofi ARTHIABAH]

I would check the scsi terminator.

try ioscan -fnC tape

does it say the software state is CLAIMED?

[Rita C Workman]

Well there could be a variety of reasons....I think the first thing I would do is see if the drive can read a tape that you know is good, and preferably was written by this particular tape unit.
The reason I say this is because sometimes different tapes of different densities will not work. I have DDS2 and DDS3 tape units and they just don't like anything other than a DDS2 or DDS3 tapes.
Don't know if this is the same in your case, but it's a thought.

[Kofi ARTHIABAH]

I would check the scsi terminator.

try ioscan -fnC tape

does it say the software state is CLAIMED?

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi:

Try cleaning the drive. If that doesn't help and you are using a new tape and/or the cleaning tape ejects immediately, then it is very likely the tape drive is "shot". Place a call to have it replaced. Remember that internal drives require the server to be down to replace them.

...JRF...

[Antoanetta Naghiu]

See the above answer, doesn't make sense to repet, everything is valid...You may need a firmware upgrade or a patch

[Antoanetta Naghiu]

See the above answer, doesn't make sense to repet, everything is valid...You may need a firmware upgrade or a patch

[Antoanetta Naghiu]

See the above answer, doesn't make sense to repet, everything is valid...You may need a firmware upgrade or a patch

[Steven Chen_1]

Thank you for all help.
"ioscan -fnC tape" does claim the tape there.

I cleaned the tape more than necessary already.

Antoanetta suggests that I need patch. Can you specify?

I have tried HP cleaning tape and want to have it a try.

[Antoanetta Naghiu]

I did not say it is a patch because I don't know for sure. It might be.
Check if you have
s700_800 10.10 pax(1) cumulative patch(PHCO_11976)
s700_800 10.10 tar(1) cumulative patch(PHCO_12732)

I suggested that could be the firmware that need to be upgrade.

But.... did you try other backup tools (fbackup or cpio)? Are whose working?

[Steven Chen_1]

Can anyone suggest what to do? I cleaned the tape drive 5 times using HP cleaning tape, and I used a new tape. Still not working. I got a yellow light on the right hand side each time after issuing tar command (nothing backup and nothing can be tar tvf..).

I had the similar situation about 5 months ago and changed to the present tape drive (it is the rebuilt one bought from Abtech).

Before seeking another tape drive again, I need your ideas.

[James R. Ferguson]

Steven:

I think the tape drive is defunct. Five months of life is the usage is daily isn't an unreasonable lifetime.

...JRF...

[Stefan Farrelly]

I agree with James. Your drive is most likely broken im afraid.
If its not under warranty then no harm in opening it up and taking a look for dust etc. and try to clean the tape head directly with some cleaner. Thats about all you can do short of replacing it.

[Dragan Krnic]

To all appearance there is something wrong with the unit or its environment.

Does the drive perform better elsewhere? You have a problem in your mains.

Does another drive of the same type powered and connected identically function correctly? Your drive is defect.

Are both the computer and all of its external peripherals fed from the same phase? Put 'em all on the same phase.

Is the mains extra conditioned? Try unconditioned mains.

What's the shape of the AC signal? (It sounds funny but I've seen the so-called power conditioners which somehow clip the sinewave introducing higher harmonics in the AC line which don't get filtered by the power supply coils.)

A ferrite core around the flat cables next to the drive's connector works wonders.

[Vikas Khator]

As mentioned above , ensure that drive is terminated.

I can replicate the same problem with a tape drive not terminated.