Forum Discussion

Gundagai's avatar
Gundagai
Level 3
10 years ago

BE can't see StorageLoader's 8th slot

Backup Exec 2014 is being used in conjunction with a Tandberg 7813 StorageLoader robotic tape drive (LTO5).  This unit has 8 slots.  All has been working satisfactorily for some time, but now BE cannot see the last slot (#8) in the robotic unit.  The Tandberg web software shows the slot operational and holding a tape, but BE cannot see it and reports only 7 slots.

No slot is marked as a cleaning slot or mail slot.

I have done a repair installation on the BE software; a scan and inventory on the device, a full reinstall of the device drivers, all to no effect.

The Knowledgebase doesn't have anything helpful.  Can anyone suggest a fix other than a complete reinstall?

2014
Backup and Recovery
Backup Exec
Backup Exec (media server only)
Windows Server (2003-2008)
  • Gundagai's avatar
    Gundagai
    10 years ago

    Now I need a large glass of Scotch.  I mentioned above that it had been doing a huge backup (all weekend and most of today) so I needed to change tapes.  I ejected both magazines, but on a hunch decided to shut down the storageloader and take the power out of it while I was switching tapes (five minutes).  I then gave it power, replaced its magazines and did a scan in Backup Exec.  Lo and behold, I have 8 slots!

    I know for a fact that I've previously cycled the power on the Storageloader, so this may just be coincidence.  I've also previously removed the magazines and checked the tape in slot 8, all to no effect.

    So I suppose this is a solution, but I'm not exactly sure why!

     

16 Replies

Sort By
  • CraigV's avatar
    CraigV
    Moderator
    10 years ago

    Hi,

     

    Remove the library from BE and Windows and reinstall it after a server reboot. Make sure the robotics shows up as "Unknown medium changer", and that you're using the SYmantec drivers for the drive.

    Thanks!

  • Gundagai's avatar
    Gundagai
    Level 3
    10 years ago

    No luck.  I removed the robotic device and the tape drive (using the big red X in the storage window) then shut down services, removed the windows tape drive and media device, rebooted the server, checked that the 'unknown media changer' was listed, used BE to install Symantec tape drivers, rebooted, did an inventory, and I still only have 7 slots.

    [A side problem with this is that you have to manually retarget all the jobs to put them back on the device, unless there a way to do it as a batch?]

    Maybe I'll learn to manage with 7 slots!

  • pkh's avatar
    pkh
    Moderator
    10 years ago

    Mailslots are not marked in BE.  You got to access the library using its Web interface and check.

    If you are using partitions, try removing them and see.

  • Gundagai's avatar
    Gundagai
    Level 3
    10 years ago

    No mailslots and no partitions.

    If I have a spare few hours, I'll reinstall everything and import the database backup.

     

  • pkh's avatar
    pkh
    Moderator
    10 years ago
    Did you configure the library to do automatic cleaning? This means that one slot needs to be used as a cleaning slot and BE will not be able to see it
  • Gundagai's avatar
    Gundagai
    Level 3
    10 years ago

    I'm not sure in BE 2014 that you need to do anything to configure the library to do automatic cleaning.  As I understand it, if a slot is marked as a cleaning slot, then in the event that the tape drive sends an alert that it needs cleaning, BE performs a clean. 

    However, as I noted above, no slot is (or was) designated as a cleaning slot, and none of the recognized slots has a cleaning tape in it so BE would be unable to automatically do anything.

  • pkh's avatar
    pkh
    Moderator
    10 years ago

    There are two ways to configure automatic cleaning, on the library itself or using BE.  If it is the former, then BE would not see the cleaning slot.  Check your library's user manual.

  • Gundagai's avatar
    Gundagai
    Level 3
    10 years ago

    The library is not configured for automatic cleaning, no library slot is configured as a cleaning slot, and the library web interface continues to see all 8 slots.  Nothing about the library configuration has changed since BE was able to see all 8 slots.  I'm still looking for a solution to this issue, which I believe is with Backup Exec, not anything else.

  • pkh's avatar
    pkh
    Moderator
    10 years ago

    Is the library properly licenced for all its slots?

  • Gundagai's avatar
    Gundagai
    Level 3
    10 years ago

    Yes, it is.  There have been no changes to the licensing or hardware setup since everything was working.