Volumes being set to unavailable with a "write protected" error (which isn't the case).

[michellest]

I am finding something a bit weird occuring with some of the tapes in our library. First, a tape with the label C00176 was set to "unavailable" because of the following errors:



ANR8463E LTO volume C00175 is write protected.



ANR8381E LTO volume C00175 could not be mounted in drive

RMT0 (/dev/rmt0).

ANR1402W Mount request denied for volume C00175 - volume

unavailable.

ANR1410W Access mode for volume C00175 now set to

"unavailable".



The write protect switch on the back of the tape is set to "write", so it doesn't appear to be the problem. After setting it back to readwrite, it appeared to allow writes again for awhile , but then the same problem occurred a few days later.



What I find odd.. is the identical problem occured on C00176 and C00177 (sequentially numbered tapes).



Does anyone know why this would occur? I think according to TSM's error messages, ANR8463E indicates the write protect switch is set to "write protect"



I am wondering if the library needs maintenance.... or the tapes should be replaced.



Ideas?

Thanks in advance..



Michelle



TSM Administrator.

 

[TotoXT111]

Same Problem

Hi all,

I am incurring the same problem. LTO2 Drives and tapes! Different tapes are set to unavailable because TSM thinks it is writing protected.

A technician checked every drive and tape - he found no errors? Do you have any idea what can cause these problems?

Thanks a lot!
Cheers,
Thorsten

 

[jbautista]

Please check your backups and activity logs.Sometimes there are damaged files. If there is some damaged files, tsm will update your volumes to read only together will the tapes to unavailable. this it to protect your previous data on volumes/tapes to be combined with damaged files. run the "audit volume" command to check without fix paramater set to no.

 

[n9hmg]

If there is a problem reading a tape, it will get set to unavailable if it's not got data on it yet. It'll get set to read-only if there's already stuff on it, then get set unavailable when it becomes empty.
Of course, you can get them set unavailable if the system asks for one and doesn't get it, but that's not what you're dealing with.

Consecutive labels indicate high likelihood of same batch - likely to be made out of the same defective media.

 

[avolchonock]

there are two main reasons for this:

1) it might be a badly labled tape or an old labaled tape as well. usually if you move all data from this tape then check it out and relabal it using the overwrite flag it will work again.

2) On the tape it self you hava a little window usually a red plastic thing which you can slide right or left (OPEN/CLOSE) it might be that this windows is closed and then the tape is write protected.
it's similar to the old stereo tapes or even video tape VHS i think that you have had those windows on them so that you wont accidently ovewrite them.

3) it might just be a very old tape where the magnetic stripe has worn out and it gets errors now so it freaks out.

check all three and you will certinaly find the problem.

Best Regards.

 

[Efim]

You don't tell about TSM version...
I had the similar problems with HP LTO2 tapes on TSM 5.4.1.0 (Solaris). On the first time the tape reads/writes without problem. After second mount it become unreadable (not mountable) like describe Michellest.
After upgrade to version 5.4.2.0 the problem was solved.

Efim