Will not differentiate tapes on inventory (will read 4 tapes as same tape)

Run the Quantum diagnostic utility against the tape drive.  Make sure that you stopped all the BE services beforehand and select the write test

Will try that tomorrow. unfortunately its a overseas off site server and the staff have gone home.

Thanks

Please try below steps:

Delete all the media from the retired media that its showing for these tapes.

Make sure you are using symatec drivers

RSM service is stopped.

In the deivce tab in BE right click on the drive and delete it and restart the BE services.

This behaviour is also seen when there is some issue in the BE database besides the tape drive itself is gone bad.

Using symantec drivers runnign the quantam xtalk application i get the following

Quick Write Read Test
    Setting compression on
    Setting variable block mode
    Rewinding
    Write 2 4k blocks with random data and 2 filemarks...
    Sense: CC: 05  ASC: 67  ASCQ: 00  = Unknown
    VS Sense: E0400040
      Catagory: SPT Task Error
      Details: The SATA Host system has requested that read write transfers be done in PIO mode. This legacy transfer mode is not supported by the device. The host device driver needs to be properly configured to run in DMA mode. Or the Quantum driver should be installed. - 100% User host configuration
    Problem writing
Problem Detected

i have no rsm service and i ahve tried recreating the drive in backup exec have also tried using the database repair function of beutility.

Please try this

http://support.gateway.com/s/issues/2-2355791701.shtml

The server does not have  those options for the nforce sata ports. will install latest drivers and see how that goes

solved by installing latest Nforce drivers which had the DMA/PIO options. disabled bios choice and forced it to dma

Problem is still evident.

Will inventory first tape and then it will inventory any other tape as the same tape. Catalouging the tape fails as well as trying to backup

What else should i try?