ArcServe2000: "NO Media in Drive", (but there IS...) 1

[UncleBubba]

Platform: Compaq DeskPro EN PIII 1GHz
O/S: Windows 2000 Pro, SP2
Adaptec 19160 SCSI card
Archive 4326xx DAT Drive, firmware v 0322
(supposedly a supported device; Archive Python series)
ArcServe 2000, SP3 (plain vanilla, no agents, etc.)

Here is my problem. If a tape is put into the drive, Device Manager continues to report that there is no media in the drive. If I attempt to issue any media command, such as format or retension, the message "Device is busy, please try later" is displayed. If the PC is rebooted WITH the tape in the drive, ArcServe recognises the tape and format/backup/etc. all work correctly.

I have disabled the tape drive/drivers in both Windows Device Manager and ArcServe Device Wizard. When I re-enable the Windows device and install Backup Exec, the drive/tape work perfectly. ( No, I don't want to use Backup Exec. ArcServe is our company standard and I have to set up this office as the rest of them. This is my first experience with A/S 2000; my other offices still use ArcServeIT 6.6.)I have also played with several configuration changes to the SCSI card, to no avail. (ie: set synch. neg. to no, dropped max xfer rate to 10, disabled wide negotiation...) The only thing I have not yet done (because I just read about it a few minutes ago, is to not have the device scanned by the SCSI bus on bootup. I will try that tomorrow when I go back to that office. Can someone please help me before my last 3 dark hairs turn white?

 

[mpulliam]

UncleBubba,

This may be a bit late but I've been through this exact same problem before a couple of years ago. In one of our remote offices we were using a Dell PE 2400 with the Python DAT drive. Trust me when I tell you this .... the problem is the drive. I spent many frustrating hours troubleshooting this drive and there was a whole laundry list of things from Dell to check because apparently many people were in the same boat. I swapped controllers, I had the drive replaced, I loaded the lastest drivers. I had problems with not only ArcServe, but with Backup Exec and NT Backup. I finally gave up and purchased a standalone DLT drive and I've had no trouble ever since.

A little while after replacing the DAT drive with a DLT, a friend of mine called to say that he had talked to numerous people who have had the same troubles with this particular product. It's been so long ago that I spoke with him that I don't remember the particulars but my recollection is that the original manufacturer of the Python DAT drive went through several acquisitions before ultimately being purchased by Seagate. Multiple acquisitions over a short period = BAD for product support. This is entirely an opinion but my guess is that you'll spend more money trying to fix this problem than you would by simply replacing the drive itself with another known good technology.

 

[lawrenccj]

I have just been through the same thing. One word FIRMWARE!

The firmware version is critical for this device, must be version 7550.

Stop all arcserve services, upgrade firmware (available on the seagate website), wait about ten minutes then scan for devices.

Hope this helps, though given the last comment, you may have replaced the drives by now!!

Cheers,

CJ