Overwritable tape problem

[mquinn0908]

I have a back up job that runs every night and we use a two week rotation of tapes but in the last few weeks I have been experiencing the following problem. In the media tab I have my overwrite protection period is none and append time is infinite but when a job runs it ejects the tape and says inserte overwritable media. If I move the tape to scratch media before the job runs then it will with no problems but then when the job runs again next week using the same tape it ejects it and says insert overwritable media. What is causing this problem and how do I correct it?

 

[SQLBill]

Where is it set for NONE for Overwrite?

Go to the Media tab, right click on the Media Set, select Properties. Look for the area that says 'Media set periods'. What is Overwrite set for? In this section, if you set for INFINITE-No Overwrite Allowed, it will show NONE.

I suggest selecting HOURS and then setting 1 hour.

Remember:

Overwrite - INFINITE means NO OVERWRITE.
Append - INFINITE means ALLOW APPEND.

-SQLBill

 

[mquinn0908]

In the properties for teh media set the overwrite period says NONE and the append peroid is set to infinite. Right now in the media tab all of the tapes currently say NONE on overwrite protection and inifinite on append time left so the tape will be used that one time with no problems but whent that daily tape is used again in two weeks for the next rotation then it will try to use the tape and then eject it and ask for overwritable media. However, if I move the media to scratch before the second rotation starts then it will use the tape with no problems.

 

[SQLBill]

What version are you using?

I use both 9.0 and 8.6 and in the media set properties, when it's set to NONE, the box next to it reads: INFINITE-Do not allow overwrite.

So, NONE for append means allow append - BUT - NONE for overwrite means DO NOT ALLOW OVERWRITE.

-SQLBill

 

[mquinn0908]

I am using verson 8.6.

I have changed the overwrite protection on the media set to 1 hour like you suggested earlier and we will see how that works. Now when you look at the media tab the overwrite protection time left says none and the append time left says none. Also, under the tools menu when you select options and then the media overwrite tab it says partial - protect only allocated media.

 

[NassauBoy]

I have been following the thread and have had similar problems in the past. My suggestion is that it's all well and fine to change the media set's append and overwrite periods on the media sets themselves, but remember that the information also gets stored on each tape used for backup.

By all means change the settings of the media sets, but also move the tapes into the scratch media location and run a quick erase job on them also.

Then when the job runs and gets the newly blank tape from "scrach" it will be written with the correct(and updated) media set information upon completion. Then when the job runs again it will then look for and take the tape from the media set it was told to store to.

You can easily test this solution if you are using a one hour overwrite\infinite append setting on the media set location.

Good Luck.

 

[justin2000]

Nassauboy - the append and overwrite periods are not stored on the tapes - it is stored against the tape name in the Backup exec database.

 

[saddatabid]

Justin,

Can one change the append and overwrite periods assuming fixes recommended in this thread have been applied?

Is there a possibility that database could be corrupt? Given that you have Overwrite Protection Level (in Media Set 1) set to Infinitive - Do Not Allow Overwrite & then you delete media set 1, move all tapes to scratch media (stop & start all backup exec services) and then create new media set, import all tapes to the new media set 1. Also modify the Media Management option for overwrite protection to none?

I have this problem where the tapes are ejeceted after 40 seconds. Please help?

 

[justin2000]

saddatabid

yep u can do all of that, what will happen is the media will take the overwrite protection period as soon as you move it in the media set.