Tape Ejecting mid job

[Monza]

Using BE 8.6 on Windows 2000 server, suddenly having a problem with backup job. It gets about halfway though the job, then ejects the tape by itself, then logs an error saying it couldn't complete the job because the tape was manually ejected. They are trying to backup about 41GB onto a 50GB tape, and NTbackup does the same backup job fine. It is a very straight forward backup of two servers, but can't see why this is happening.

Any help appreciated.

I am going to see the client tomorrow, so can grab error logs then. Last time I looked at them though they just said that there was an error and that I should check the error logs.....

 

[Monza]

======================================================================
Job server: SPARS2K
Job name: SSL Daily Backup
Job started: Monday, 13 January 2003 at 9:30:04 p.m.
Job type: Backup
Job Log: BEX79.txt
======================================================================

Drive and media information from media mount:
Robotic Library Name:
Drive Name: SONY 1
Slot: 0
Media GUID: {210244E6-188E-45C4-B828-0464FCD319F4}
Media Label: Seagate 2002/04/08.10:06:09
Overwrite Protection Time Left: None
Append Time Left: Infinite
Targeted Media Set Name: Media Set 1

----- TapeAlert Events -----

Critical
Device: SONY 1 (SPARS2K)
The operation has failed because the tape cartridge was manually ejected while the tape drive was actively writing or reading.

======================================================================
Job Operation - Backup
Media operation - overwrite.
Hardware compression enabled.
======================================================================
Performing Remote Agent backup

Media Name: "Media created 13/01/2003 21:30:05 "
Backup of "\\SPARSMAIL\C$ "
Backup set #1 on storage media #1
Backup set description: "Second One Off Test"
Backup Type: FULL - Back Up Files - Reset Archive Bit
Backup started on 13/01/2003 at 21:30:57 .
Directory AUTOEXEC.BAT
boot.ini
BOOT.PCP
BOOTSECT.DOS
CONFIG.SYS
Exchange Server Setup Progress.log
IO.SYS
LPDSVC.DL_
LPRMON.DL_
MSDOS.SYS
ntdetect.com
ntldr
ntuser.dat
ntuser.dat.LOG
Directory \Compaq
Directory \Compaq\survey
CpqHMMO.dll
hdserial.ref
mssngrjp.dll
mssngrus.dll
readme.txt
readmeJP.txt
Survey.$X$
Survey.CPT
survey.exe
Survey.IDI
survey.ini
survey.ref
Survey.TXT
surveyor.exe
Directory \Compaq\survey\html
About.Htm
access.gif
add.gif
Banner.Htm.........

 

[GonzarTheGreat]

What does the end of that backup log give for an error specifically? Also, is that a 50gig tape compressed (25gig un/50gig com)? What particular model tape drive?

 

[SQLBill]

Did this happen just once or is it constantly happening? If it happened once, then my guess is someone accidentally/on purpose pressed the eject button.


-SQLBill

 

[Monza]

Here is the end of the above log...

Drive and media information from media mount:
Robotic Library Name:
Drive Name: SONY 1
Slot: 0
Media GUID: {210244E6-188E-45C4-B828-0464FCD319F4}
Media Label: Seagate 2002/04/08.10:06:09
Overwrite Protection Time Left: None
Append Time Left: Infinite
Targeted Media Set Name: Media Set 1
The media provided to continue the backup already contains data
from one or more sets created during this operation.
The operation can not be continued

^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Backup completed on 14/01/2003 at 15:55:55 .
Backed up 70422 files in 14289 directories.
4 files were in use
Processed 16,014,102,741 bytes in 58 minutes and 26 seconds.
Throughput rate: 261.4 MB/min
----------------------------------------------------------------------

======================================================================
Job ended: Tuesday, 14 January 2003 at 3:55:56 p.m.
Job completion status: Canceled by SPARS2K\sparadmin
======================================================================

 

[pytchley]

I have come across this before. BE stopped after about 1 hour and ejected the tape. By looking at the log it seemed that a faulty file caused the tape to eject. This was removed and everything ran ok. Hope this helps.

 

[SQLBill]

This error:

The media provided to continue the backup already contains data from one or more sets created during this operation.

usually means that your tape is full and Veritas needs a second tape to continue the backup job.

-SQLBill

 

[Monza]

Thanks for your help guys.

I reinstalled BackupExec and recreated the backup job. The back still failed but now get a completely different error as below:

Storage device "SONY 1" reported an error on a request to read data from media.

Error reported:
The I/O bus was reset.

^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Looking at the size of the backup done in the activity monitor window it looks like the backup was complete but the time of job indicates that the verify was not done completely.

I thought about size too, but would think that 32 GB would fit on a 25/50 tape.

 

[Monza]

Looking around on the veritas support page I found this:

http://seer.support.veritas.com/sea...Path=seer.support.veritas.com/docs/191087.htm

This does seem very much like the problem I'm having, anyone else out there have to do this?

 

[GonzarTheGreat]

What SCSI card make & model are you using with the tape device? What is the tape device specific model, as well as tape type (DLTIII? DAT?) Which drivers and version are you using for the SCSI card? ARe you using Veritas driver for tape device, or vendor driver? Is Remote Storage service for Windows 2000 stopped and disabled?

 

[Monza]

All good questions burro, but can't answers them right now. I didn't think drivers would make a difference to the verify part of the job but I could be wrong.

As a temp work around I have turned off verify, does this pose a significant risk? Their backup job is very straight forward full copy onto one tape.

Next step would be to check I have all the latest drivers as burro suggested. Which drivers are better, the Veritas ones or the vendor ones?

 

[SQLBill]

With the drivers, the issue is how do you want to control the tape drive/library? If you want to control it through Veritas, you need to use the Veritas drivers. If you want the drive/library to control itself, use it's drivers.

What do I mean by control? How do you want to eject tapes? How do you want to import/export tapes? Do you want Veritas to be able to do it as needed? Or do you want Veritas to hold the job until you use the drive/library to eject/import/export the tape? Same goes with erasing and formating. Where do you want to control that from? With Veritas or through the drive/library itself?

-SQLBill