cannot format write protected media

[solpredator]

Our IT staff is new to this company, and all previous documentation has been scrapped prior to our arrival. We are in the process of trying to start the backup routines again. It is a adv srvr 2000 running BE 9.1 with a Dell DLT120 Robot, and when we insert media into the drive and move it to scratch or recycle, BE kicks out the error "cannot format write protected media." We have tried many methods, including changing the label, full and quick formats, to no avail, and calling Veritas support...well, let's just say even 9-1-1 responds faster...Please help!

 

[SQLBill]

Going to try this again...might cause a double post though.

Gonna ask something kinda silly....have you checked the tapes to see if the 'write protect' tab is in the locked (write protect) position?

-SQLBill

 

[solpredator]

Yes, all tapes are not physically write protected.

 

[justin2000]

what kinds of tapes are u using and what type of tape drive?

 

[solpredator]

Using a Dell 7000 T120, with 40GB Sony DLTtape IV. Now here is the really interesting thing. It appears that any media we put in that he been previously backed up on will not format no matter what. New media formats with no problem. Nothing is set to Append, everything has been dragged to recycle or scratch, and nothing has worked. It gives the exact error "Label Library 0044 -- The job failed with the following error: The media is write protected." This occurs no matter what we do. Even attempting to relabel the tape.

 

[justin2000]

Sounds like the tape drive can't read the old tape properly any more.

The error is similar when you try and write to DLTIV tape in a DLT1 or VS80 drive that has been used before in a DLT7000 or DLT8000.

 

[jdnorris]

Tapes my not be compatible. Im fairly new at this as well and found that our DLT's will not workin out SDLT drive.

 

[solpredator]

We have stumbled upon the answer, completely by mistake.
While in the process of getting the tapes replaced under their life-time warranty, we were on the phone with the different manufacturers. While Sony agreed to replace all tapes without batting an eye, Fuji took a different stance and gave us the answer to our dilema. According to them they would take a sample of 10 tapes and check them over. If they were found defective, we could send them the rest. However, if it showed on the tapes that there was a registered checksum bit added to a certain track, then they would return the first ten, bulk-erased. When asked about it they stated "any DLT1 that has previously written to a tape (meaning the older DLT drives) had very strong magnetic heads, and wrote to a track that the newer DLT drives do not write to anymore, but they DO READ THEM. IF there is anything on this extra track, no matter what the location the drive finds it on the tape, the drive will see it and automatically refuse to write over it."
The older drives had stronger write heads, that were done away with in newer models presumably for cleaner more reliable data. However, the new drives are just not capable of overwriting this additional track. The older drive marked this track as an identifier throughout the tape, like an extra parity bit from a 14.4 modem. We also discovered to our chagrin that these tapes will not be erased completely even if you pulled the tape out of the casing and ran the radio shack bulk eraser over the film. Apparently the writing is so strong, you have to use an industrial strength bulk eraser costing anywhere from $00/rental to $50000 to purchase.
I hope this helps someone else out there. Thanks everyone for your help!

 

[snoles]

I also had this issue and was successful using the Radio Shack Bulk Eraser. But I remembered that there is a particular proceedure to follow in using it. This is from the users manual for the eraser:

Hold the eraser by its handle and pull back the on/off switch to the on position with your thumb.
While holding the button in the ON position, press the bottom of the eraser lightly on the cassette, tape reel, or diskette, and move the eraser in a circular motion across the entire surface of the media.
NOTE: It takes only 7 to 10 seconds to completely erase a tape or diskette.
DO NOT RELEASE THE ON/OFF BUTTON YET!
While still holding the button in the ON position, slowly move the eraser away from the media. When you are about 3 feet from the media, release the button.

If you don't pull it away while on, you don't generate the correct magnetic field to blank the tape.

Robin's Rule: If you put the cover back on before you test it, it will not work.