error 4030 & 1040 - Data Protector Express 4.0 SP1 on w2k3 SP2 (HP ML350 G4p)

[KubaL]

Hi!

Need some help in diagnosing the root cause of errors in Data Protector Express on our of our domain controllers. Since a month it cannot successfully create the backup, it started as an intermittent issue, but now it happens almost every time.

Server is HP Proliant ML350 G4p (2x Xeon 3GHz, 4GB RAM).

running now the Proliant Service Pack 8.50 (it used 8.70 before, but I downgraded after I noticed 8.70 was pulled out from recommended downloads for this particular server for some reason).

The SCSI U320 (Smart Array 641 controller running driver 5.80.0.32 9/21/2007) has 4x 147GB hard drives connected to it in Raid1+0 array and also hosts a small DAT72 HP tape drive (SCSI).

The separate controller (device appear in Device Manager as LSI Adapter Ultra320 SCSI 2000 series w/ 1020/1030) hosts a single DAT160 HP tape drive (SCSI) only.

HP DAT160 is product ID DAT160 (per HP SLTT) , running driver HP 1.7.0.2 (5/19/2009), fw WP8A

HP DAT72 is product ID C7438A (hot swap), running driver HP 1.7.0.2 (5/19/2009), fw V601

same driver for both a root cause???

Since recently DAT160 cannot do a backup 9 out of 10 times (it can sometimes do that only if I clean the drive 3 times, replace the data cartridge and start the backup manually).

Usually it will either start the backup and later throw a 1040 error (all devices are offline or insert compatible media) spitting the cartridge out or it won't start at all throwing 4030 (Illegal request) with cartridge staying inside like nothing happened (green light on drive).

I ran full diagnostics twice on both DAT72 and DAT160 drives (using HP StorageWorks Library Tools 4.13) and both passed the Drive Assesment Test and Media Read Write tests. I keep those drives clean, running a cleaner tape in them once a week (every Monday), replacing the data tape at first problem as initial troubleshooting step.

Let me know which other drivers you want me to check (revisions), I will post what needed, jsut can't do that at this moment.

Now, the funny thing. Usually the smalller DAT72 drive runs fine always and only intermittent problems we were getting were related to DAT160 (hence why we keep it on a separate U320 controller now). Now it seems that both drives fail equally at same time almost always no matter what I do...

is the tape drive driver revision a problem here? Need help please.

[KubaL · Accepted solution]

OK, I think I found something I missed before.
Just checked the HP SMH Version Control Agent and seems that both (same) servers having quirky tape drives are running this:

HP StorageWorks Tape Drivers for Windows, currently installed 3.2.0.0, while PSP 8.50 comes with 3.1.0.0, the latest available is 3.4.0.0

HP StorageWorks Tape Firmware for Microsoft Windows, currently installed 3.3.0.0, while PSP 8.50 comes with nothing, latest available is 3.5.0.0.

will update those and see what happens next. wish me luck please.

[KubaL]

That was it.

The Tape drives (DAT72 SCSI U320 hot plug on SA-641 controller and DAT160 SCSI U320 on LSI controller) started running normally once the StorageWorks drivers and firmware was upgraded to latest versions.

I have also re-installed the latest Proliant Support Pack available (8.70) despite the fact that ML350 G4p driver download page lists the latest one as 8.50 (it's totally wrong).