Tape library keeps going offline

[Chambers]

Hi guys, I have a SPECTRA 215 Drive that keeps going offline right before a job starts. I look at the Devices and the drive is set to offline. In order to put it back online I have to shutdown the server, turn off the drive, turn the drive back on, then turn on the server. Once the server is back up I can see it as online. I come back in the morning and the ribrary is set back to offline. Anyone know what could be causing this?? Veritas Backup Exec 9.0

 

[Chambers]

Ok, i read it may have something to do with enabling the SCSI command Prevent/Allow Media Removal...BUT I don't know how to do it in Veritas

 

[Chambers]

no one can help me?

 

[stevet3]

Check you system log ? Any Event ID 7, 11, 9?

What is the Library Emulating?

 

[Chambers]

Event Type: Error
Event Source: Backup Exec
Event Category: None
Event ID: 58053
Date: 11/15/2004
Time: 9:03:26 PM
User: N/A
Computer: WEBSTER
Description:
Backup Exec Alert: Device Error
(Server: "WEBSTER") Robotic library hardware error.

The robotic library has reported a general hardware error condition. Manual intervention, calibration, etc., may be required. This may be a device related hardware problem, or it may be some other hardware problem (i.e. SCSI card/bus etc.). The library and drive states have been set to offline. Please attend to this condition.

For more information, click the following link:

http://eventlookup.veritas.com/eventlookup/EventLookup.jhtml

And what do you mean by emulating? I don't think it's emulating anything?

 

[Zelandakh]

start the server - do you see the library and the drive separately? Just to rule out SCSI ID issues.

windowsupdate and check for driver updates.

Then in BE, Tools, device config wizard. Does that look right? Install Veritas drivers for all devices.

Then restart.

Then check again.

 

[Chambers]

When I reboot I see both the library and drive seperately.

I will try the windows update this weekend during off hours

The thing that gets me is this has worked without issue for over a year. If I turn off the library, shut down the veritas services, turn the library on, turn on the services, it goes back to being online

 

[Zelandakh]

last time I had that it turned out to be a driver issue cured by the above.

 

[Chambers]

Thank you, I shall try it out this weekend.

Also, for the driver, should I be getting the driver from the tape library maker or MS update site? I'm guessing the tape library maker but I'd just like to make sure, thanks!!

 

[Chambers]

Thank you, I shall try it out this weekend.

Also, for the driver, should I be getting the driver from the tape library maker or MS update site? I'm guessing the tape library maker but I'd just like to make sure, thanks!!


Also, stupid question, but what are the difference in media that is blue font and media that is written in black font in the media tab? Thanks!

 

[justin2000]

blue means the tape is overwriteable - blank means it might be appendable still, but you can't overwrite it.

How long has this been working?
The event you gave above was from the application log.

Do you have anything in the System Log - look for 7,9,11,15, these all point to bad hardware.

 

[Chambers]

Thanks for that clarification!!;

I did some searches in the system log and this is what i get;

Event Type: Error
Event Source: sonysdx-VRTS
Event Category: None
Event ID: 7
Date: 11/10/2004
Time: 6:05:38 PM
User: N/A
Computer: WEBSTER
Description:
The device, \Device\Tape0, has a bad block.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

Data:
0000: 0f 00 18 00 01 00 76 00 ......v.
0008: 00 00 00 00 07 00 04 c0 .......À
0010: 00 01 00 00 9c 00 00 c0 ....?..À
0018: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0020: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0028: 00 00 00 00 03 00 00 00 ........
0030: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0038: 02 c4 00 00 00 52 03 00 .Ä...R..


and


Event Type: Error
Event Source: SpecFrog
Event Category: None
Event ID: 11
Date: 11/15/2004
Time: 9:03:26 PM
User: N/A
Computer: WEBSTER
Description:
The description for Event ID ( 11 ) in Source ( SpecFrog ) cannot be found. The local computer may not have the necessary registry information or message DLL files to display messages from a remote computer. You may be able to use the /AUXSOURCE= flag to retrieve this description; see Help and Support for details. The following information is part of the event: \Device\MediumChanger0.
Data:
0000: 0f 00 18 00 01 00 6e 00 ......n.
0008: 00 00 00 00 0b 00 04 c0 .......À
0010: 01 01 00 00 02 00 04 e0 .......à
0018: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0020: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0028: 00 00 00 00 02 00 00 00 ........
0030: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0038: 02 c4 00 00 03 85 04 00 .Ä...?..


and


Event Type: Error
Event Source: spctramc
Event Category: None
Event ID: 15
Date: 11/17/2004
Time: 3:20:04 PM
User: N/A
Computer: WEBSTER
Description:
The device, \Device\Chang, is not ready for access yet.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

Data:
0000: 0f 00 68 00 01 00 c2 00 ..h...Â.
0008: 00 00 00 00 0f 00 04 c0 .......À
0010: 04 01 00 00 9d 00 00 c0 ....?..À
0018: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0020: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0028: 75 b2 9d 00 00 00 00 00 u²?.....
0030: ff ff ff ff 00 00 00 00 ÿÿÿÿ....
0038: 40 00 00 0a 00 00 02 00 @.......
0040: 02 20 06 12 08 01 10 10 . ......
0048: 00 00 00 00 b0 04 00 00 ....°...
0050: 00 00 00 00 28 d2 7c 89 ....(Ò|?
0058: 00 00 00 00 88 dc 7c 89 ....?Ü|?
0060: e8 22 b0 89 00 00 00 00 è"°?....
0068: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0070: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0078: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0080: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0088: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........

 

[justin2000]

Looks like you have hardware issues, you are getting nearly the full complement of errors .

Event ID 7 - means bad blocks on the tape.
Though these could be caused by the Event ID 11 and Event ID 15 - which are SCSI timeouts.

If you have had this working before with no changes to BE - I would say that something on the SCSI bus has gone bad - most probably the Spectra 215 itself.

If you have a spare SCSI card - put it in the server and attach the 215 to it and test - if you get the same errors, get the 215 looked at.

 

[Chambers]

Thank you guys, I just received a new Sony drive and am disabling the first drive. I will run on the second drive for a week and see if I keep getting errors.

 

[akman175]

did this fix the problem? I started getting the same problem today after I chage magazines. I have been working on it all day and so far it looks like I have the same errors you were getting

 

[Zelandakh]

Just try some of the things above. Also change the SCSI cable and the terminator.

Those Treefrogs are really finicky about how they connect.

 

[akman175]

Well my problem turned out to be the logic board for the robotic arm..... I am waiting on replacement parts glad the thing was still under warranty