ERRORS ON HP STORAGEWORKS DAT72 USB TAPE DRIVE

[Edwin Kiiru]

I am getting the following hardware errors on a HP StorageWorks DAT 72 USB Tape drive.
The server is running Windows Server 2003 R2 with SP2, and HP Data Protector Express.
The scheduled backup will run sometimes, and sometimes fail with any of this errors below:

1). Error 4040: Hardware Error
2). Error 4074: Tape-Alert warning
3). Error 1040: No devices specified or all devices are offline.

Please assist.

[TapeDrive Killer 1 2]

Run LTT DDS drive assesment test if it passes then the problem is dpe if it fails the drive needs to be replaced.

Pablo Alvarado Siles

[Edwin Kiiru]

I managed to Run LTT 4.6 on the server, and it reports the Tape device and media to be okay.

one interesting thing , when i tried to run a scheduled backup using a third party tool (BackupAssist), it does NOT recognise the device. I can see the device in Windows Device Manager, and it shows that it is working fine.

Could i need to replace this Tape device with a similar SCSI model? How good are USB tape devices for those who have worked with them?

[TapeDrive Killer 1 2]

If DDS drive assesment test passed that mean the drive is fit for purpose so the problem must be dpe.

Pablo Alvarado Siles

[Edwin Kiiru]

Thanks Pablo,
I much appreciate your timely responses.
I would like to inform you that for about three weeks, the scheduled backups on DPE ran like clock-work, until all this errors started coming up.
Would you advise that i re-install the DPE, get a thrid party backup tool, or use NTBackup, which i tried to schedule and run on this tape drive, but the backup would fail at 'mounting'.
What is a sure way to get this backup schedule up and running again?

[TapeDrive Killer 1 2]

Call dpe support

800 633 3600 opt1 opt2 "DAT Tape Proliant"

Pablo ALvarado Siles

[Edwin Kiiru]

Thanks Pablo,
I will get in touch with HP over the issue.

Meanwhile, i just wanted to let you know that for the past three days, the backups have gone okay. I am still using the DPE.
The only thing i did was to clean the tape drive.

I did notice though that the removable storage service stops and disables often times.
Could this in any way be interfering with the backups?

[TapeDrive Killer 1 2]

Yep RSM should always be stop and dissable, actually every time you boot the server you should cycle this service >>> Manual >>> start >>> stop >>> disable.
Here is a document about that.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/842411/en

Pablo Alvarado Siles

[Edwin Kiiru]

Thanks Pablo,

Much appreciate all your help!