Cannot write to tape but can read. What is up with this?

[josel]

Howdy!

Running SCO 5.0.6a with an external tape drive DLT IV using BackupEdge. I am unable to backup to tape.

I get a listing from tape if I run tar tvf /dev/rStp0
but I get an error if I run tar cvf /dev/rStp0 /tmp

The error is: tar: tape write error

The medium is not write protected. I am sure that when I first installed the system I tested the drive and it worked just fine. Three weeks later, this problem shows up.

Any suggestions?

Thank you all in advance.


Jose Lerebours



KNOWLEDGE: Something you can give away endlessly and gain more of it in the process! - Jose Lerebours

 

[motoslide]

I had a similar issue with an external DAT-24 running 5.0.7. In that case, the ability to write failed from the very beginning.
This was on an Adaptec controller, and the Adaptec folks had me configure the SCSI settings for that particular SCSI ID to be Async - 5Mbit. It's slow, but works.
Doublecheck cabling and termination settings. Is the cabling 68-pin throughout, or did you have to use a 68pin-50pin converter?

These might not apply to your circumstance at all, but it's the only time I've had a drive which would read but not write. You might get additional help here if you can give us your SCSI Adapter make/model and that of the DLT.

 

[josel]

motoslide,

This unit is plugged on the on-board port. I have a card in there; I will try to open server and check on what kind of card it is.

The server is a Proliant ML530 (older generation)
The adapter is on-board port
The tape drive is an external HP StorageWorks DLT VS 40/80

Here is a snippet from `hwconfig -h`

adapter      0x4000-0x40ff  11   -   type=cha ha=0 id=7 PCI slot=0 geo=B wid=16
Compaq Fast-SCSI-2 (rev 5.34a)
adapter      0x4400-0x44ff  15   -   type=cha ha=1 id=7 PCI slot=0 geo=B wid=16
Compaq Fast-SCSI-2 (rev 5.34a)
floppy        0x3f2-0x3f7    6   2   unit=0 type=135ds18
ida0         0x3000-0x301f  10   -   PCI slot=8 units=1 Compaq IDA/SMART (rev 5.
34a)
adapter       0x1f0-0x1f7   14   -   type=IDE ctlr=primary dvr=wd
tape               -         -   -   type=S ha=1 id=6 lun=0 bus=0 ht=cha

Regards;


Jose Lerebours



KNOWLEDGE: Something you can give away endlessly and gain more of it in the process! - Jose Lerebours

 

[KenCunningham]

Hi Jose. Does tape xstatus show you anything unusual?

 

[josel]

KenCunningham,

This is what I get on first try

     status : offline
read errors corrected w/o substantial delay : 0
read errors corrected with possible delay : 0
Total read errors : 0
Total read errors corrected : 0
Total read ECC errors : 0
Total unrecovered read errors : 0
write errors corrected w/o substantial delay : 0
write errors corrected with possible delay : 0
Total write errors : 0
Total write errors corrected : 0
Total write ECC errors : 0
Total unrecovered write errors : 0

I then tried again and it changed to

tape: unable to do 'xstatus' command on '/dev/xct0' : Invalid argument

I wonder if rebooting the server might be a good idea ??? I am not of the believe that OFF/ON is the remedy to any problem but we know that some times, that is all it takes.

Regards;


Jose Lerebours


KNOWLEDGE: Something you can give away endlessly and gain more of it in the process! - Jose Lerebours

 

[sysfact]

By any chance u have 2nd IDe on boarc controller whic is interfering ? ty disabling it.
I got this ide from two counts
1) irq used by ha=1 (cha), Ii suing irq 15 and could be some irq sharing problem
2) U are getting tape xstatus and immedaitly after wards not getting it. It seems that something keeps on interruprting it

regds

sys_fact

 

[josel]

To make matter even more frustrating, the tape drive is now working OK and my backup are up and running.

Do not ask because I've done nothing. All I did was turn tape drive OFF/ON a couple of times.

Not complaining but I find it very frustrating when things like this happen. One remains without a true reason nor solution.

Thanks;


Jose Lerebours


KNOWLEDGE: Something you can give away endlessly and gain more of it in the process! - Jose Lerebours