SOLARIS 7 - ADDING A DLT TAPE DRIVE?? 1

[DBDIR]

Solaris 7 Sun Sparc server
Can anyone provide assistance relating to adding a DLT tape drive?
The server is new & has never had the tape drive attached - any good faqs relating to this?

Help!

 

[tuka]

You csn go to

http://www.sun.com/

(SunSolve site)

To add a DLT.

1. System O/S running

. connect a SCSI cable between the host and the DLT tape
drive, insure the drive is correctly terminated.

. power on the drive and insert a tape
. login as root
. # cd /dev/rmt
. # ls (are any devices seen-if as you stated no drive
was ever connected then you will not see any)

. # devfsadm -c tape (this command will configure the
new tape drive.)
. cd /dev/rmt
. ls /dev/rmt (you now should the new devices)
. # mt -f /dev/rmt/0 stat (should print out the status)

. (The 0 after /dev/rmt/ is the device instance #)
. If drive is seen then all is okay.


If the drive isn't seen by the devfsadm command then take the system down.

. Install the tape drive and power on
. At the ok prompt do probe-scsi-all (look for a tape)
. If tape drive is seen then boot -r

. after boot up load a tape if not loaded and repeat
the mt -f command.

 

[DBDIR]

Many thanks! - Quick response

However I cannot see any entries.

The DLT unit is a Christie DLT40 unit - I have no software & have not loaded any should I consider this also?

Sorry - the suggestions you provided did seem to do the trick but not in my case

Thanks!

 

[DBDIR]

Additional

Are there any other files I have to amend in order to configure the drive /drivers?

Sorry NT right click background new to Unix!

Regards

 

[tuka]

/kernel/drv/st.conf file shows all support tape drives.

# more /kernel/drv/st.conf

If the drive is a supported drive then you will not have to do anything execept to configure into the the system.

1. When connecting to the system always used a SCSI address that doesn't conflict with other devices.

2. Is it possible to take the system down to the ok prompt?
If you go to the ok prompt then connect and power the
tape drive on and probe-scsi-all and see if you can see
the tape drive.

3. If you can't see the tape drive at the ok prompt then
you must clear the problem at this state.

 

[DBDIR]

I have placed the system in single user mode (test box so I can do what I want) when I stop-A to get the ok promt then enter the command probe-scsi-all it simply returns to the ok promt!

Nothing happens - I have solaris 7 99/11 version

Any assistance welcomed!

 

[kcongdon]

Check the device itself - cabling and proper termination.


Our Solaris 8 server couldn't see a brand new standalone LTO drive. Turned out that the drive was not properly cabled inside the case. We never could get the device to work, but having loose cables in the drive case never helps.

 

[DBDIR]

Good point, however I have just removed the DLT unit and cable from a NT4 server that was also in test & the drive was AOK this morning so I have no reason to dought the cable - however anythings possible I suppose

 

[dUbbsNIX]

From searching the web, including SUN's driver download site, (

http://wwws.sun.com/software/download/drivers.html)

and Christie's own site(

http://www.cristie.co.uk/uk/uk_html/uk_download_drivers.html),

I'm not convinced that you'll ever get this model of DLT to work with Solaris, I'm afraid.

Have this ever worked with a Solaris system?

cheers,

Dubbs.

 

[tuka]

What is is your hardware platform?

 

[DBDIR]

Hi, just read the posts.

Thanks forthe response.
Hardware platform in test is a Sun Spark 5 box with the Christie 'DLT 40' attached with a scsi card (generic) but supported in windows without any problems.

The moe I think about this the more I want to mirror what others have done! - Can you suggest a DLT drive & SCSI combo combination that you have ahad work under Solaris 7???

Cheers!

 

[tuka]

You said your system is a Sun Spark 5, Do you really mean an Ultra 5. There is a Sun Sparcstation 5 but it only support SBUS boards.

The controller board is probably not supported by Solaris.
By removing from a PC would indicate that it will not work on
a Solaris host.

Try this command with the board removed and installed and check the printout for differences.

ok show-devs

Here is a sun supported SCSI board.

Option X5010A Single channel, Single Ended, Ultra/Wide SCSI

Install this board and then connect the DLT, if the drive isn't seen then go to the WEB and get another drive that conformed to your requirement.

 

[DBDIR]

Sorry - Ultra 5, yes.

I will carry this command out & post the results

Regards

 

[DBDIR]

Ok

I have now installed an Adaptec AHA-2944UW-OF and installed the software supplied.

The software supplied supports Solaris O/S.

Ok power on the drive and insert a tape
. login as root
. # cd /dev/rmt
. # ls (are any devices seen-if as you stated no drive
was ever connected then you will not see any)

. # devfsadm -c tape (this command will configure the
new tape drive.)

I still see nothing.

# more /kernel/drv/st.conf

The above st.conf file contains many different DLT tapes but none that matc my Crisite DLT 40

So.

The SCSI card is in the machine I now need to determine if it is installed correctly

Can you suggest a series of SCSI command checks?

PROBE-SCSI commands used from the OK promt simply nothing but returns me to the ok promt!

Help!!

 

[dUbbsNIX]

Further to my previous submission, I am afraid that you are simply never going to get this drive unit to work on this system. Er, unless you write the driver yourself!

You will need to use a different DLT unit. I belive that this is the simple fact of the matter, all those in agreement say "I".

Dubbs.

 

[DBDIR]

I agree however in the short term my last post was relating to the SCSI card itself.

I am looking into obtaiing a 'sun' dlt (applause) to ensure it will work

However I simply need to determine that the SCSI card works - which as the softare supplid suggested it would I just want to run a few tests before I get the new DLT

Guys if we get through this I'll buy you all a virtual beer!

 

[tuka]

At the ok prompt do a show-devs and see if you see the controller.

ok show-devs

If you don't see the controller then there is no need to continue booting up the O/S.

 

[DBDIR]

Tuka

Nothing there... drivers loaded for card and server rebooted

Thanks

 

[DBDIR]

Tuka

Wwhen card removed I get no entries

When card inserted I get

/pci@1f,o/pc1@1/scsi@1

Stage one. Where do we go from here

Thanks

 

[tuka]

Appears the controller bd is seen at the ok prompt from your above post.

Do you have the user guide for the AHA-2944US/OF?

http://www.sms.com/support/Adaptec/User_Manuals/aha294xuwof_ug.pdf

The above is a link for the user manual and on page 3-1 there is an article detailing how to look at the controller board when you are at the ok prompt. Use the path of the scsi controller seen by the show-devs command.

REMEMBER THE 2944UW/OF IS A DIFF CONTROLLER!!!!!!!!!!!!

There is a good possibility the driver you loaded is for Soalris 2.5 and 2.6 not SOLARIS 7. Go to Adaptec web site and get a new driver for Solaris 7.

With the controller board installed and at the ok prompt
you should see a differential device with the probe-scsi command. Was the tape device used with this controller?
I am asking if the tape drive is a DIFF device?

I would try to get a new drive that is known to work with Solaris 7 (Sparc)(Not Intel) otherwise get a known sun supported scsi controller.

BY THE WAY THE EARLIER OPTION FOR A CONTROLLER I GAVE YOU IS **SINGLE-ENDED** . You can't put a DIFF device on the controller.
You can use the command modinfo to look for the scsi driver loaded and pkginfo -l will show the driver package.

At this time I think the driver isn't compatible with Solaris 7 but Adaptec might have a later driver which you could try.