Thanks for the info.. We are currently experiencing similar problems,
although it looks like our problem is different - our LM is not hanging.

We are seeing sporadic Int Req. which turn out as tapes stuck in the drive.
Sometimes requiring a manual unload sometimes just waiting for the gripper
to come and pick it up.

Now I realise that once in a while you will get a tape stuck in the drive,
but we are getting two or three a day. IBM CE's running diags on the drives
are coming up clean every time. There does not appear to be a problem with
the drives. The Library is showing up clean also.

This problem appeared when we upgraded Atape and Atldd.
We are currently at ATAPE 4.4.0.0 and ATLDD 4.0.1.0 , AIX 4.3.2., ADSM
3.1.2.41

Our 3493 is HA1 , Lan Attached, with the 3590 B1A drives.

Has anyone been experiencing similar problems with these versions of ATAPE
or ATLDD??

TIA,

Nathan



        -----Original Message-----
        From:   Richard Sims [SMTP:rbs AT BU DOT EDU]
        Sent:   Wednesday, October 06, 1999 2:06 PM
        To:     ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
        Subject:        Interesting 3494 failure condition

        A note from the field as to what can happen with a 3494...
        I came in yesterday morning to find an Int Req on the robot:
        both 3590 drives in the last frame had failed to unload, at very
        different times of the night.  The two drives in the first frame
        had no problems.  After some 12 hours of analysis and erroneous
        guesses by various IBM levels, it was finally determined that the
        ARTIC (A Real-Time Interface Coprocessor) had partially failed.
        This card in the industrial computer within the 3494 manages
        RS-232 and RS-422 communication, as serial connections to a host
        and command/feedback info to the tape drives.  The last two drives
        had ejected their tapes and had tried to tell the Library Manager
        about this, but could not.  When the robot needed to re-use the
        drive but knew there was a tape in it, it posted the Int Req.
        Attempting to clear the Int Req at the control screen resulted in
        the LM being hung with a clock icon.  A Ctrl-Alt-Del reboot would
        then always result in a memory dump and reversion to a Shutdown
        selection box.  With all the 3494's internal logging one would
        think that diagnosis of such a problem would be straightforward;
        or at least the manifested symptoms would be well-known.  Not.

        So the next time you get an Int Req and the tape is sticking out
        of a drive but not removed by the robot, suspect a problem with
        the drive's communication with the library manager.
              Richard Sims, BU