9.4 Troubleshooting Tape Drive Problems
Here, in
rough order of frequency, are the most common problems and some
things you can do to solve them:
- Read/write errors
-
If you experience numerous read/write errors, noticeably slower
performance, excessive initialization time, or tapes that eject
themselves immediately after they are inserted, first suspect a dirty
drive. Cleaning the drive as described in the preceding section
usually cures such problems immediately. Retensioning tapes
periodically also helps avoid this problem.
- Configuration problems or incompatibilities with backup software or drivers
-
If the backup software doesn't recognize the drive,
can't load the driver, or does not contain a driver
for the drive, first make sure that the host adapter recognizes the
drive as present at boot time. For SCSI, ensure the operating system
recognizes the SCSI host adapter and download and install later
drivers from the host adapter manufacturer's web
site, if any are available. If you have recently installed a new
version of your backup software, verify that it contains support for
the tape drive, and download updated drivers for that drive if
necessary. If your tape drive manufacturer provides downloadable
firmware updates, download and install the latest recommended
firmware for your drive.
- SCSI communication problems
-
If the controller does not recognize the tape
drive or the controller or system hangs at boot, the most likely
cause is physical damage to or a configuration problem with the SCSI
chain. First verify that the data and power cables are undamaged and
fully connected to the drive. Verify that there are no SCSI ID
conflicts and check termination, particularly if you have just added
a new SCSI device to the chain. If everything appears correct and the
problem persists, use the SCSI BIOS utility to make one or more of
the following changes to the host adapter configuration: disable Sync
Negotiation; disable Wide Negotiation; set the transfer rate to the
lowest available value; enable Disconnect. In other words, slow
things down until the drive functions properly. If none of this
works, the most likely problem is a malfunctioning drive or
controller. If other devices on that chain function properly, suspect
the drive.
- SCSI bus scan displays drive on all or most SCSI IDs
-
This is nearly always the result of assigning the tape drive the same
SCSI ID as the host adapter. Reassigning the tape drive to an unused
SCSI ID fixes the problem.
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