Re: 3570 problems again

Hi!

First of all: thanks to everybody for their tips. I hope that this is not
too premature but I hope that we solved our problem.

Environment:
Magstar 3570 attached to PCI Adaptec 2944
ADSM V3 PTF 4 on NT
NT 4.0 SP3 on IBM PC Server 720

During the last two weeks we experienced all kind of problems with this
environment. The errors started with I/O Errors to some tapes, continued
with ADSMScsi Errors in the NT Event Log (for the drive device, not the
changer) and ultimately made it impossible to run the ADSM Server for more
than some minutes: as soon as reclamations or migrations started the ADSM
server hung itself and the lib jammed somehow.

So after installing the latest SCSI drivers from adaptec, installing and
removing the Windows NT Magstar Drivers (nice side effects with the
ADSMScsi Driver BTW), having an IBM CE replace several parts, checking
again and again the cables, rebooting, rebooting and rebooting again etc.
etc. I tracked the problem down to one single tape!!! Every time that tape
is loaded I get an "Drive Attention - Load Error - Tension Lost" and SCSI
Errors in the Event Log. After removing the tape everything seems ok.

OK. Now there are two questions left:
1) why can a single corrupt tape bring the library, the SCSI subsystem and
ADSM down? I'd expect ADSM to get and log an error, set the tape R/O and
continue with the next one leaving me the sole task to move the data off
the tape...
2.) this is now the second tape in a two week period which seems to be very
very defective. That remembers me of the first days with 4 and 8mm tapes,
right? Am I supposed to exchange my tapes after a 6-month use time (no
heavy usage BTW)?


Mit freundlichem Gruss/Best Regards

Michael Abel
IBM Certified Advanced Technical Expert - RS/6000 AIX
IBM Certified Specialist - ADSM
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