Media emergency: could not position tape

[Sunboxez]

Hello All,
I am having problems with restores from tape using NW User GUI. During the recover the NW Admin shows::media emergency:could not position volume x to file y, record z
Follwed by:
media info: could not read record z on LTO Ultrium tape x

Sometimes the restore continues, other times the errors exceed the device max.consec.errors and the drive is disabled, and the restore hangs.

Orignally thought to be bad media, we've used brand new media from FUJI with diff lot/batch numbers also same problem. During the backup there are no SCSI timeouts, no msgs in the event logs, so why is restore such a problem
Legato thinks its the hardware, STK thinks its legato. I would really love to hear from someone else with NT/STK/LTO environment.

Server:Compaq Proliant DL380R 2xP3-933 512MB RAM 50GBHD
OS: NT4 Sp6a SCSI: 2x Adaptec-2940U2B LVD
Networker 6.1 for NT Build 186
Lib: StorageTek L40
Drives: x3 Seagate LTO Viper LVD Firmware:1400

You are all my last hope before mngmt ditches this backup solution

 

[TapeMan]

I think this may be a Seagate firmware issue.
I have seen it on HP-UX 11.00 when doing single-file restore from multiplexed backups (four streams) and compressing the data. A SCSI trace shows that a forward space block command always shows File Mark encountered.
It works with:-

IBM LTO drive
or
Single stream backup
or
non-compressed data

Configuration is Seagate LTOs (f/w 1400) in an STK L700 (f/w 2.36.00) through Chaparel bridges (LTO are LVD), Brocade switch to HP-UX 11.00 with A5158A HBA.

It may be that Legato could handle the error better (it just keeps re-issuing the space command) but it may be the drive firmware that is at fault.

 

[TapeMan]

I have tried to reproduce this to see if it is firmware related, so far no luck.
Investigations continue.

 

[Sunboxez]

TapeMan,

Just an FYI, we've had this problem on 1340 f/w also. If you could reproduce the error that would be great.

Thanks,

Larry

 

[TapeMan]

On Seagate, this is a firmware bug. Contact your LTO vendor and have them contact Seagate. The problem is to do with residual count returned when a forward space block command hits a file-mark. The residual is invalid and Legato just keeps re-issuing the commands.

 

[lto]

Hi Sunboxez,

Have you solved your restore problem? We have a customer with a very similar problem using Tru64, Legato & STK L40 with LTO. We have recently applied code 1414 to LTO drives which has not solved the problem so I was curious as to your progress given the last entry on this case was Feb 25 2002.

 

[LGTOserv]

Seagate LTO w/firmware of 1400 is a known issue. Their firmware is faulty at this revision and they can provide you with a new firmware if they have'nt already released it.

 

[FYI]

I know from a good source that 1400 is faulty, and that 1414 doesn't fix the problem. I would comtact Seagate directly and they can provide you with a new firmware.

 

[Sunboxez]

****Case Closed****

We finally have closed this issue. After much troubleshooting with LGTO/STK/Seagate support teams,the problem was with the drive firmware and had to be dealt with directly from Seagate. Thanks to everyone for your tek-tips (couldn't resist!)

- Larry

 

[lto]

Hi Sunboxez,

What level of Firmware was applied tothe LTO drives to close this issue ?

Thanks for your help.