Using an HP cleaning tape with a Sony DDS drive

[meastaugh1]

Hi,

For the last year I've been using HP cleaning tapes with a Sony SDT9000. Now the drive's constantly flashing status lights and not loading the tape properly. When I insert a cleaning tape, it doesn't seem to wind on at all.

I think I might have worked out what the problem is. The sony cleaning operation seems to work in the opposite direction of the HP tapes. Can anyone confirm that this is the case? Have I permanently damaged the drive?

thanks
Mike

 

[dkediger]

A DDS drive is a DDS drive is a DDS drive. Ditto for the tapes and cleaning cartridges.

Cleaning tapes have a limited life - have you tried a fresh cleaning cartridge?

 

[meastaugh1]

I would have thought that was the case, but recent experience would suggest otherwise.

I've tried a couple of new cleaning tapes in the sony drive. It doesn't wind the tapes on.

If I put a new cleaning tape in an HP drive, I can see it's wound the tape on. If I then put the same tape in the sony drive, it seems to wind it back to the position before I had used it in the HP drive, thereby suggesting that the cleaning was working in the opposite direction?

Can you suggest what might be causing this?

Mike

 

[biglebowski]

I have 80 sony sdt9000 but use hp tapes & cleaning tapes without any problems. Sony tapes are more ferrous and tend to wear out the heads quicker

Are you suggesting coconuts migrate?

 

[meastaugh1]

Thank you both for your replies. You were quite right dkediger. The drive was just broken so I swapped and all was well again. many thanks
Mike