TS3500: operator panel: error: what to do?

[christiansfr]

Hi,

i have a TS3500 w/ LTO3-drives connected via FC
(running TSM 5.5 btw)

ok - and since the weekend I have a error message in the operator panel.

there used to be the last load/unload in big letters, now there is a:
error B685

I don't find a hint in the net or manuals.
just: "a permanent error has occurred" (3584 Tape Library Operator Guide p. 33)

what does this mean?

thanks
Christian

[cwilloug]

ummm,,, call IBM.

[Stephan]

The library keeps running as normal though? (mounts for backups and the such still working?)

You could try to simply reboot the library. Make sure all your operations are over and reset the library. If the error persist, i would then place a service call at IBM...

[GregE]

That error sounds familiar. I think we've had that more than once. Check your drives, are they all working as expected? The panel will not delete that message until it needs to post something else, so it could be a 2 day old message and the drive never really stopped working properly.

[quinstear]

Are you seeing any errors on the browser interface? Is your library set up to call home (IBM)

[christiansfr]

first sorry for answering late but was sick and library is working.
thansk for the answers.

- no - the library is not set up to call home.

- yep. thanks, in the RMU under service -> library error log i find:
--------------------------
Date Time URC Command SK
2009 05 22 11:27:27 D320 IES With Range 04 (Hardware Error)

ASC/ASCQ HEC/HECQ
4400 (Hardware Error) B685 (Drive 5 Fiducial missing during calibration)

MSB SEB Source DEB Destination
80 N/A N/A N/A N/A

Object # Object Error Frame Drive
41 00E0 1 5
----------------------------
so the error is already there for a week but the drive is working - at least what i see.
so is this "fiducial missing" a critical error?

have a nice weekend
Christian

[Craigy]

4400 (Hardware Error) B685 (Drive 5 Fiducial missing during calibration)

so is this "fiducial missing" a critical error?

have a nice weekend
Christian

Fiducials are the little white dots/barcodes the robot arm uses to calibrate the edge of it's travel. One's not being read properly. Personally I'd have a look inside the library to see if there are any sticky white labels on the floor. It doesn't sound that bad, but you might find that if this persists, the library loses calibration to the extent that it can't pick and pop tapes accurately any more. If you can take the library offline for an hour, you might want to attempt a "teach", where the thing properly calibrates itself. On the other hand, you might just want to call IBM and get a CE to do it for you in case there's something else wrong.. it's what they are there for, and the CE might welcome the break from "real work".



C

[GregE]

I don't remember the exact details, but our IBM CE came out a few weeks ago and put in some small plastic pieces on the robot to more stablize it. He said there was no problem, BUT IBM had sent out these pieces because the robot arms could get a little "play" in them and this would keep that from happening. No problems, but he was just staying ahead of any possible issues by putting them in for us. You might want to mention it to your CE next time they're at your facility.