vs80 drive and dlt7000 written tape

[BLOWE]

I have an issue.
Our old DLT7000 PV120T autoloader took a dump (the drive will not write to the tape media).
We have an old standby stand-alone vs80 drive. It was previously used to backup an Exchange server.
What I need to do is be able to re-format (erase, label) the tapes that were used in the dlt7000 drive so I can use them in the vs80 drive.
I don't need to read any of the data that was on the old dlt7000 written tapes, just need to be able to use them in the vs80 drive.
Is this possible? If so, how do I go about it.
I put in a use tape (one written by the dlt7000) into the vs80 drive and it spits it out.

 

[steevej]

I read somewhere that you need to degauss DLT tapes before using them on older WS80. When the tape loads, it is 'read' and accepted if the format is correct. Obviously it is not, so it rewinds it and spits it out.
Try 1 and see.
Setting a Neodynium or Samarium-Cobalt 'Supermagnet" on top of one for an hour or two should do it - unless of course you have a degausser.
Do not Degauss SDLT or LTO tapes - it hoses them an they are useless unless you can re-write the servo info on each again.

 

[BLOWE]

Would say the magnet from this site do the trick?

http://www.unitednuclear.com/magnets.htm

Was looking at the disc one say 3" diameter 1/4" thick.

I sent a backage of 10 tapes in to a company and had them degauss them. They all seem to work but have 60 or so more tapes to do...and at $4 a tape its kind of expensive.

 

[steevej]

The bigger and stronger the better, but exercise extreme caution when handling them in pairs or around ferrous metal. They will SLAM together, shatter and splinter and they will pinch the skin between your fingers and draw blood! Just put one on each tape for ~1hr.
I use the magnets from big old hard drives.. newer drives are smaller and stronger too, but very brittle. No matter which you choose, salvage or buy, BE very carefull not to let them get too close together once you have them loose from their moorings in the old HDD ;-) A 3" Dia * 1" thick supermagnet will pick up several hundred pounds - just think what would happen if your hand got between one and a nice flat piece of metal... All mine are 1/8" by 1" and will still draw blood if I'm not careful and it gets sideways in my grip and tries to get between my fingers due to the unbelieveable pull of another one close by. Lastly, keep these away from TV, Computers, Floppy disks and kids it will ruin all of them.