Backup Exec 2010 - tapes full issue

[Daniel_Marinov]

Hi Everyone,

I have a very strange issue with Backup Exec 2010 running on SBS 2008. My backup is configured DAILY FULL to tape. The drive is LTO Ultrium 2. The backup tapes shows capacity 195GB. I used to save 235GB to them, but now I cannot write more than 100GB.

What I tried yesterday:

1. Do a small backup job 3GB - runs fine.

2. Do a backup job with 30GB - runs fine.

3. Do a job with 160GB  - on 102 GB it aks for another backup tape.

All tapes are overwritable.

Any ideas, please ?

[Colin_Weaver]

Make sure you are overwriting the tapes as if you are appending you only have the space that is left on the tape after the last backup.

Check that comporession is working. The bigger size mentioned on the tape capacity includes expected compression, the native (smaller) size of the documented sizes of the tape is the size if only containing uncompressed data.

[pkh]

If compression is working and you are backing up compressed files, like zipped and movie files, sound clips and pictures, then you you might end up with more days than what you started with.

[Daniel_Marinov]

I am attaching snapshot of the Overwrite and Compression options. They seems to be correct.

pkh - I am backing up the same files as before, when they were running fine.
 

[Larry_Fine]

The backup tapes shows capacity 195GB. I used to save 235GB to them, but now I cannot write more than 100GB.

Since you cannot achieve that native rated capacity of the media, this sounds like a likely hardware failure, specifically a clogged tape head.  Run some vendor diagnotics and work with your hardware vendor as the diagnosis is not trivial and the solution is to replace the tape drive.

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH193200

Tapes report full before their Native Capacity is reached

[Daniel_Marinov]

Hello Larry,

Thank you for your advise. Will start reading and testing :)

[Larry_Fine]

Hi Daniel,

Did you reach any conclusions with the testing?

[pkh]

If you need an update, PM the user

[Daniel_Marinov]

Hi,

Sorry for the delay. Tried to test the device with HP Library and tape tools. It said that my cartridge is corrupted and cannot perform any test with it. So it seems that all the cartridges has gone bad I will replace them, to see how it will go.

Thank you

[CraigV]

...have you tried to erase the tape with HP LTT and then try your diagnostics?

Thanks!

[yaser]

Many Thanks

[CraigV]

...the relevance of this?

Thanks!

[Daniel_Marinov]

So far nothing. I replaced the tapes with brand new ones and now HP LTT says that I should not use this device anymore.

The software did not report anything wrong with the device on previous tests.  Now I will have to replace the drive too.

[Larry_Fine]

Did you perform the tests and instructions that I suggested on Jun 11?  I suspected that the drive had to be replaced then.

[Daniel_Marinov]

Replaced the drive and now everything is working fine.

Thank you,