Tape Drive LTO7 - Calibration

[nings]

Hello,

There is a way for retrieve/backup drive actual calibration ?
A tool is available for verify/calibrate a tape drive manually ?

My drive seem not pass read/write test only a single read/write is accurate on all pass.
The drive isn't old and not run a lot used only for educational/private usage.

Thank you in advance for your help

[nings]

That's the result of a self test.

With LTO6 tape :

1st FSC: | 5338| 2nd FSC: | 0000|
| 1055| | 0000|
| 5338| | 0000|
| 53A1| | 0000|
| 5338| | 0000|
| 7830| | 7830|
| 53A1| | 0000|
| 53A1| | 0000|
| 2C33| | 0000|
| 7830| | 7830|

With LTO7 tape :
1st FSC: | 53A1| 2nd FSC: | 0000|
| 5338| | 0000|
| 5338| | 0000|
| 5338| | 0000|
| 5338| | 0000|
| 53A1| | 0000|
| 1055| | 0000|
| 5338| | 0000|
| 53A1| | 0000|
| 7830| | 7830|

[Ash_7865]

Hello @nings,

You may find the documents in this link useful to test the Tape Media - https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=emr_na-c04942133#N10011

Regards,
Asfin

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Note: All of my comments are my own and are not any official representation of HPE.

[nings]

Hello Asfin,

Thank you for your reply
My tape media is good used only once for writing and all are unreadable now. I buy an older generation new tape but exactly the same issue. Media error is reported directly when tape is inserted.

There is a head calibration tool somewhere for the drive ?
LTO9 have this tool integrated now to run before each media but can't found that for LTO7.

Thank you in advance

[ace-rimmer]

only lto9 requires tape calibration

[nings]

Yes of course but it can help to know if it's a head calibration issue or another issue. You put your media LTO7 do a calibration like LTO9 and if work it's the drive head who have move a little who cause a calibration issue. With a tool you can may be calibrate again the head accuratly for your own tapes.

[ace-rimmer]

you could try ITDT with a blank tape and see if it gives you more fault information.

your probably getting error6 which is a head issue normally.

[nings]

Yes I already use ITDT. Return me first a media error and turn to drive error. I can reset this error but come back.
It's EC6 yes.
With : 
03: Medium Error
0900 Track Following Error (Servo)

But there is probably a tool for try to calibrate head or do any further diagnostic like check servo travel no ?
It seem a generic error when something is wrong with head. I have already try to clean the head manually but all is clean. The FSC report it can read/write one value but not another if I understand accuratly this report.

Before that the drive ask for a clean so I put a clean tape and clean dust too. After that I can write 3 tapes without any errors for finish the task in progress and not using during some months. When I try to restart the job can't read any tape. I not really understand what happen. A tape stuck/break inside or any issues during read/write operation I can understand but without using the drive not really so probably not a so big issue.

[Mohammed_I]

Hello nings, 
Procedure:
 Navigate to the Maintenance > Library Tests > OCP Test screen.
    Select Touch Panel Calibration.
    Click Start.
    Follow the instructions on the screen.

[nings]

Hello,

Thank you for your reply
It's an old MSL2024 there isn't any touchscreen but can't found any calibration test on the library screen or webpage.

Else I have open the drive remove all cables on the PCB set back all cables and now seem a little better but still have error even if the read/write test pass successfully now.

- Read Margin is : 99.53
- Write Margin is : 100.00
- Drive Margin is : 99.88
- Test Passed.
- Analysis Results
- The LTO Drive Assessment Test has checked the history and operation of the selected drive, and
- The test has PASSED and the drive is GOOD.
- Test time: 17:10

With another tape :
- Read Margin is : 99.51
- Write Margin is : 59.58
- Drive Margin is : 69.56
- Test Passed.
- The LTO Drive Assessment Test has checked the history and operation of the selected drive, and
- The test has PASSED and the drive is GOOD.
- Test time: 17:17

ITDT test pass too : Result: | PASSED | Code:| OK

The issue each time I eject a tape even after a sucessful test the tape drive go to the same error than before. There is a way for reset the tape drive or clear old logs ?


Thank you for your help even I can't really understand what happen with this drive
It's so much sensitive for can't read/write and can again read/write without so much reason all seem good when I remove the PCB ?

[Mohammed_I]

Hello nings,

Resetting the tape drive
    1: Press and hold the eject button for 20 seconds, and then release the button. The LEDs on the drive flash while the reset function is in process.
    2: After the LEDs stop flashing, wait approximately one minute for the drive to complete the reset operation. The drive is then ready to use
 And more information about MSL 2024 refer this document : https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=c01512219&docLocale=en_US#N1025D
 

[nings]

Hello,

Thank you for your reply

Yes I force reboot the tape drive each time by this way. The issue without tape inside go directly in error but if you put a tape inside during startup go green and you can pass a test successfully.
Like the tape drive read previous error in his memory and return you directly the previous error even if some test pass between these errors.

So what I ask it's how clear these tape drive memory logs or what I can do for not have each time this error at startup/when I unload a tape ?
I have put a no compatible LTO tape version for try and return me an error but when ejecting the tape manually by pushing the button the led stay green this time.

I have again another tape and calibration result seem great :
- Read Margin is : 99.52
- Write Margin is : 100.00
- Drive Margin is : 99.88
- Test Passed.


Thank you a lof for your help