Device errors - help!

[Norwich]

Hi,

Arcserve is failing regularly (6.61) but I need help in accertaining whether it's SCSI adaptor (adaptec 160m) or tape drive (HP DLT1).

There isn't anything in the NT4 event logs at the same time as the failiure

The tape and arcserve logs are as follows:



---------------------------------
Errors while writing to tape log:
---------------------------------

04/04 14:00:12 ABSL:1050 [WRITE FILE MARK ] 10 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00
Total Jobs ACTIVE 4
CREATEJOBHANDLE [01795E6C]: JobType - 2, ServerType - Local, Client - SYSTEM
ClientGetGroupStatus JobType:20 tapeName:[THURSDAY] RID:[66cc] Seq:[1] Group:
[GROUP0]
Before LockGroupEnum:GROUP0
LockGroupEnum:GROUP0
GetGroupStatus: TAPE FOUND GROUP LOCKED
UnLockGroupEnum:GROUP0
Calling DisConnectFromTape()
DestroyHandle [01795E6C]: Active Jobs 3
04/04 14:00:16 ABSL:1050 [READ POSITION ] 34 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Current block #: 00080085
04/04 14:00:16 ABSL:1050 [WRITE ] 0a 01 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00
ABSL:1050 SCSICommandRetry() NT Error that can be retried. CMD:[0A]
04/04 14:00:16 ABSL:1050 [READ POSITION ] 34 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Current block #: 00080085
ABSL:1050 SCSICommandRetry() Actually wrote. CMD:[34]
04/04 14:00:16 ABSL:1050 [WRITE FILE MARK ] 10 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00
Total Jobs ACTIVE 4
CREATEJOBHANDLE [01795E6C]: JobType - 8, ServerType - Local, Client - TEST
Calling DisConnectFromTape()
DestroyHandle [01795E6C]: Active Jobs 3
Total Jobs ACTIVE 4
CREATEJOBHANDLE [01795E6C]: JobType - 8, ServerType - Local, Client - TEST
Calling DisConnectFromTape()
DestroyHandle [01795E6C]: Active Jobs 3
LDN:1 Tape Capacity NOT SUPPORTED BY DRIVE
LDN:1 ClientGetCompressionRatio: NOT SUPPORTED BY DRIVE
Calling DisConnectFromTape()
LDN:1 DisConnectFromTape
LDN:1 BNCHMARKDLT1 3E20 Log Sense Not Supported.
04/04 14:00:18 ABSL:1050 [SPACE -1 FM ] 11 01 ff ff ff 00 00 00 00 00
Total Jobs ACTIVE 4

---------------------------------------------
Errors while writing to tape in ArcServe Log:
---------------------------------------------

04/04/02 14:00:16 TAPE E6300 Windows NT SCSI PORT Error[ABSL:1050 CMD:Ah] SCSI Command Retry.




-------------------------------------
Errors while verifying from tape log:
-------------------------------------

04/04 14:16:20 ABSL:1050 [SPACE 1 FM ] 11 01 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00
04/04 14:16:20 ABSL:1050 [READ ] 08 01 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00
ABSL:1050 SCSICommandRetry() NT Error that can be retried. CMD:[08]
04/04 14:16:20 ABSL:1050 [READ POSITION ] 34 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Current block #: 00080085
Windows NT SCSI PORT Error [ABSL:1050 CMD:8h NT:3E6h 998]
ABSL:1050 NT Error 998 - Invalid access to memory location.

ABSL:1050 3E6 NT Error. CMD:8 Address: 02368EC0 Length:65536
Calling DisConnectFromTape()
LDN:1 DisConnectFromTape
LDN:1 BNCHMARKDLT1 3E20 Log Sense Not Supported.
04/04 14:16:20 ABSL:1050 [REWIND ] 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Total Jobs ACTIVE 4

-----------------------------------------------
Errors while reading from tape in ArcServe Log:
-----------------------------------------------

04/04/02 14:16:20 TAPE E6300 Windows NT SCSI PORT Error[ABSL:1050 CMD:8h] SCSI Command Retry.
04/04/02 14:16:20 TAPE E6300 Windows NT SCSI PORT Error[ABSL:1050 CMD:8h NT:3E6h 998]
04/04/02 14:16:20 210 E3841 Unable to find session number (MEDIA=WEDNESDAY, SESSION=20, EC=Hardware Error)

Thanks,

Norwich

 

[ARCserveGuru]

Hmmmm, interesting errors.

Assuming that:

a) NT drivers are not being loaded for the device,
b) SCSI drivers are at latest levels,
and c) the device is supported by the Certified Device List.

Then the problem sounds like the drive. But only if the above checklist has been verified. Also check the certification of the scsi card as well and scan the SCSI bios settings.

hope this helps,

g

 

[Norwich]

Cheers for the reply.

The SCSI card is as supplied by Dell (PowerEdge 4400), certified and running with the latest drivers.

Not sure what you mean by "NT drivers are not being loaded for the device"? IF you mean default NT installation drivers, then no, it's running with the latest HP DLT1 drivers.

 

[ARCserveGuru]

Norwich,
There should be no drivers whatsoever loaded for the device. Also should be no HP software or anything that will query the drive whilst ARCserve is holding it. ARCserve requires exclusive access to the drive. No drivers for the drive and no other programs accessing the drive.

You'll get a SCSI conflict.

Try diabling and then we'll see how the issue goes, it's a longshot though, from the errors it sounds like hardware issue of some sort.

Anyway, let us know if removing the drivers works any better...

g

 

[Norwich]

Thanks, I'll try it but for info, NT backup fails too.

 

[ARCserveGuru]

NT Backup fails aswell? Well then essentially you rule out the problem being software. Check SCSI card, replace, also check scsi cable. Then as a last resort replace the drive.

It's hardware so it must be either the drive, the card or the cable. hmmmm or cable length, terminators, etc...


I just had another look at your errors, there is something that says tape and compression ratio not supported by drive. Thats odd, what tapes are you using in the drive? Also, are there any jumper settings on the drive that determine it's compression ratio?

just a couple of thoughts, nothing really solid though. Sorry.

g

 

[Norwich]

Hi,

Well, the compression size warnings occur just as the errors occur in the in the arcserve log anyway....

I may have been mislead about the NTBackup failure. I tried again today and the ntbackup was fine. I'll repeat over the next few days to confirm either way.

I also unloaded the DLT1 driver and re-ran the arcserve backup and it completed. There were still a couple of SCSI retry errors though but the backup didn't fail - did the usual incomplete and session truncated after files wre removed and modifed.

I'm going to check up on the SCSI card - an Adaptec AIC-7899 - worryingly, I've noticed that Arcserve has a compatability list for SCSI cards and it's not on there. I thought that the SCSI driver interface itself was abstracted enough from software so that the only compatabilty issue was with the OS and the device.

 

[ARCserveGuru]

Well there is a compatibility for SCSI cards unfortunately, although what you said makes sense about the drivers being loaded should siffice for communication through the card, there must be some other reason why certified scsi cards are required.

regards and happy testing,

g

 

[HeleneP]

If someone knows that this is completely untrue then please feel free to shout about it but I believe that the Adaptec 294x series comes under the heading of the adaptec 78xx family. Not quite sure why but there you go. The 294x series is supported by CA.