Neware 4.2 & Backup Exec 8.5 & mammoth 8900 LVD drive

[mahadevan1]

Folks:

When I use the mammoth 8900 LVD drive connected to 3944UW with Backup Exec 8.5 on NW 4.2, it times out and I get either a SCSI error or tape damaged error. I have been wrestling with this for quite a long time. Here is what I have done so far. I have replace the 8900 (3 times), went back to Backexec 8, bought umpteen tapes, changed the 3944 cards, changed the mother board. But I always get the same error. I downloaded EXATAPE module but no go. Interestingly, when I use 8500 drive (connected to 2940) it works fine (but capacity is only 10gb :-( ). The mammoth 8900 uses the 20/40 AME tapes. Interestingly, i was able to get some backups a few months ago. But the problem started again. I cant figure out which NLMs are at fault. I use HAM drivers for both 2940 and the 3944. I even changed the scsi defaults on the 3944 to term disable, enabled, automatic etc. Changed the speed to 5, 10 etc. Nothing seems to work. Has anybody else encountered this? Is there a solution or am I forever relegated to changing tapes on the 8500? Oh yeah, I have applied all the latest patches from Novell. For example, the sense data on the error message by the BE says:

..Part of tape may be damaged ..
EXB-8900
E03020 V37F
Write filemark(6)
Sense Data
F0 00 03 00 00 00 01 18 00 00 00 00 03 02 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00

BE refuses the quick erase or full erase any of the tapes in the 8900 either.

Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Thanks

Dave Mahadevan
mahadevan@fuse.net

 

[TheLad]

I had something similar with Arcserve and an SDLT220 tape drive and it was the firmware of the tape drive that needed updating. Check the website for the Mammoth for a firmware update.

What server hardware are you using?

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"It's true, its damn true!"
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[mahadevan1]

Ok, I downloaded the new firmware V41j (I had V37f) and updated the drive. Interestingly it again rejected first 4 tapes and then on the fifth it did 40% and then failed, on the sixth tape it did the whole thing. That is it, then I have tried 20 tapes and same error. So I reused the tape which went ok and again it gave me an error. I even bought a Adaptec 39160 adapter but 8900 does not like it when the 39160 is in a 32 bit slot. I changed the slot for the 3944AUWD adapter with no luck. Any other ideas? Thanks.

Dave Mahadevan
mahadevan@fuse.net

 

[marvhuffaker]

I've never dug into how Veritas is configured for the specific tape drive. But I saw a similar problem on Arcserve.. Arcserve was originally installed and configured for one tape device, and then the tape drive was swapped out and even though it was similar, it was different enough that it caused strange errors like what you are talking about.

Without knowing specifically how to troubleshoot this, you might just try to remove BackupExec and then reinstall it with your new tape drive installed.

Also, if it's not already, make sure your tape drive is on a dedicated SCSI controller. Not a raid controller or shared with the hard drives.

Marvin Huffaker MCNE, CNE
Marvin Huffaker Consulting

http://www.redjuju.com

 

[mahadevan1]

Veritas Backup Exec does its own partition management. I have installed and uninstalled backup exec many times. Even went back to 8.0 The tape drive is the only device on the 3944AUWD controller. All my HDS are LVD and hang off a 2940UW controller. I wish I can hang the 8900 on this but the 8900 is a HVD device and needs a HVD controller. I have played with all the settings in SCSI card settings also. I wonder what devices and drivers and NLMs this thing uses. Funny thing is I have a 8500 hanging on the 2940 and it seems to be ok with tapes half the time.

Dave Mahadevan
mahadevan@fuse.net