Drive Cleaning Cause Write Position Failure? 2

[adamroof]

10D, 2003 server, VS160 80/160
Error...

Adamm Mover Error: Write Position Failure!
Error = ERROR_IO_DEVICE
Drive = "QUANTUM 1"
    {7F3BDFF9-FAFE-498F-9789-12C748BFB8E1}
Media = "DT21"
    {E0DAD592-8377-4691-BAB6-91455E0318A0}
Read Mode: SingleBlock(0), ScsiPass(0)
Write Mode: SingleBlock(1), ScsiPass(1)

had this issue this week, backup fails partially completed, device i/o error

upgraded firmware, rebooted, manually ran job tuesday afternoon and it succeeded, tuesday night it failed same error, THEN Cleaning light came on, ran cleaning tape and two successive successes since.

1. Do you all think it was a cleaning that was needed?
2. Why would a cleaning cause a write position error?
3. What cleaning schedule should be used? (4 diffs, 1 full/week, 3 tapes total, 26GB full, 4GB diffs). All diags came up normal.
4. Is over cleaning a prob? (once a month)

Thanks for any input

 

[justin2000]

All I have to say is, you should clean when the drive tells you to clean.

 

[steveot]

Sounds lile the drive write head is going bad

 

[adamroof]

Update -

replaced the drive, thanks to 3 yr Qunatum warranty, if you see the problems start, get it replaced!

according to quantum, justin is right, cleaning is actually an abrasive the takes off part of the head, so too much is bad.