Backup Exec 12 not picking up tape library

[Toothy]

Hi,

Hope someone can help.  I am running Backup Exec 12 on Windows Server 2013 and have a Quantum Scalar i40 but the Quantum is not being picked up by Backup Exec, it is only picking up a standalone HP drive.  I am running the latest firmware on the library and the latest updates for Backup Exec.  The library is connecting to an Adaptec ASC-1045 controller.  Cannot work out why Backup Exec is not finding the library.

Thanks,

D

[Siddhant_Saini]

Hello,
Can you confirm if the Device Manager is able to see the Device as a Robotic Library? You should be able to view the device under Medium Changer and the drives under Tape Drives. 

If you do, then please delete all the devices from the Backup Exec Devices tab and run the tapeinst.exe application by going to \Program Files\Symantec\Backup Exec folder. 

Also please check if the device is listed in the Hardware Compatibility List of Backup Exec 12: 
http://www.symantec.com/docs/tech55640

For more details on device related issues, please refer to the following link: 
http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH24414

[Toothy]

Hi,

Nope, it is not listed in the device manager.  All I see in the device manager is an HP LTO-5 tape drive.

Thanks,

D

[Siddhant_Saini]

If it is not visible in the Device Manager then you may have to contact the Hardware Vendor. 

For more details, please refer to the following link: 
How to verify that the operating system properly detects a device so it can be used with Backup Exec:
http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH200801

[CraigV]

Hi,

No version of Backup Exec is currently supported as a media server on Windows Server 2012. Even if it shows up in Device Manager, you're going to be running an unsupported configuration.

Furthermore, that library is not listed on the HCL at all. Neither are LTO5 drives, so you would be forced to upgrade to a newer version (like BE 2010 R3 or BE 2012 with SP2)...but again, unles you have a server running Windows Server 2008 R2 on which you can install your new version of BE, running it on Windows Server 2012 is going to see you unsupported unfortunately.

Thanks!

[Larry_Fine]

I am running Backup Exec 12 on Windows Server 2013

Please clarify your version of BE and your OS version.  Do you mean BE 2012 and Windows 2012?

The Quantum Scalar i40 with HP LTO5 SAS drives is supported with BE 2012, but not supported with BE 12.0.

As Siddant stated, your first objective is to get Windows Device Manager to see the medium changer.  If Windows doesn't see it, then BE cannot see it.

[CraigV]

...to be honest, even if the OP gets Windows Server 2012 to see the library, he runs an unsupported configuration by having Backup Exec xxx installed on it. That's where it should end. He needs to get onto a supported OS in order to be completely supported.

Thanks!

[Toothy]

Hi,

Just to clarify, we are running Backup Exec 12 on Windows Server 2003.  Looks like the problem may be just be that the hardware is not on the compatability list for Backup Exec 12.

Thanks,

D

[pkh]

Nope. You also have the problem of Windows not recognising the tape library

[Toothy]

What is strange about this is that the library was previously recognised by Backup Exec, except it was recognised as the wrong model (Bacup Exec had it as a Scalar i500, not an i40).  It only disappeared when I tried to run a backup and it then went offline and never recovered.  Is there a way to fool Backup Exec into thinking it is connected to a model it supports?

Thanks

[Siddhant_Saini]

Apart from the compatibility aspect, Backup Exec would depend on the inputs given by the Windows Device Manager. If the Device Manager is unable to detect it then that needs to be diagnosed/fixed first. 

[Larry_Fine]

except it was recognised as the wrong model (Bacup Exec had it as a Scalar i500, not an i40).

BE recognizes whatever inquiry string that the hardware provides to Windows.  I suspect that you have already or might need to change your library configuration via the library front panel or the library web interface.

BE 12.0 has the Scalar i500 inquiry string on the BE 12.0 HCL, so that is probably why it gave you the impression that it might work in BE.  So, since you have an i40 library that is unsupported in BE 12.0, you can either upgrade your BE version or you can configure your i40 library to use the wrong Scalar i500 inquiry string.  You would still be unsupported because BE doesn't officially support libraries configured with the wrong string, but it might work and let you limp by until you can get to a proper configuration.

But your first priority is to get the library seen in Windows Device Manager as otherwise you have a hardware or a configuration issue that BE cannot work around.