Firmware update on HP C1533A (is reading Archive Python 28388-XX)

[CA1005568]

I have a fairly old DDS-2 autoloader that looks like it has the firmware from the pre-HP manufacturer, or an OEM has stamped it with a different identifier.

The drive is installed in an external enclosure. Back on an old program, we had to disassemble these to verify that internal scsi connectors were clean; taking the housings off to reveal the tape device was just a few screws. HP C1553 is visible without fully removing the drive from all the housings/electronics.

To give you an idea of its age, it is reporting that it is an "Archive Python 28388-XX" drive. But it has been in its BoxHill (now dothill.com) packaging since my company purchased it circa 1996. I'd like to put it to use in a lab. Rough guess is the drive was manufactured mid-90's, sold to BoxHill, re-burned with different firmware, and that has altered the name the device reports to the adapter.

Any chance I can attempt to revive it with a firmware update? I'm not able to locate and drivers for an "Archive" corporation. Boxhill is now dothill.com, their web site has no links for the old Boxhill part, a DSH-4 (serial number is 531698).

Any tips/pointers would be appreciated. The drive and it's external enclosure are in excellent shape. The 6-tape magazine (part number C1571A, says it is for an HP model 1553A device. The magazine and five tapes were all still in the shrink wrap this morning when I unboxed the drive. I supect the physical drive is in near-to-top shape as it was warehoused in a cooled space for aprox 6 years before I pulled it from our storage for a rainy day project.

I've put an Adaptec 2930 adapter in my server, the SCSI chain is alive and kicking, and the HP StorageWorks utilities are sensing the drive and autochanger on the SCSI chain. They are also not displaying the drive with blue "supported" icon.

It would *seem* I'm a firmware reload away from the drive and autoloader being relabelled and then recognized by the OS (2003 server). Is this something I can obtain or am I out of luck here? A new SCSI drive and putting the tapes to use is only a few hundred bucks, but if I can avoid the cost, well, you get the idea.

thanks in advance for any suggestions,
Doug Austin
CSC Federal Systems

[Eugeny Brychkov]

I guess it's Seagate drive (or at least support should be seagate's because it has acquired Conner in 1996), see http://www.seagate.com/support/software/firmware_upgrade.html
With HP drives you can use HP LTT http://h18006.www1.hp.com/products/storageworks/ltt/index.html , but I'm not sure it will work for this one.
Please could you say clear: did autoloader have this Conner-made drive inside or someone put it there manually?
Eugeny

[Peter Forster_1]

I have a very similar problem, but my autoloader is an original HP product. LTT tools detects the drive but says it has firmware NS01 and 9608 is available for it. However, the downloaded 9608 cannot be used because it complains about a "wrong prefix" -- how can I get the firmware upgraded on this device?