Backup Exec can't see my drive, ntbackup can.

[Craig_Wheatley]

Hello,

We had previously been using ntbackup without problem but after installing Backup Exec 10d we have not been able to use our tape drive with it. Our drive is a Compaq AIT 35 GB LVD which came with our Compaq ProLiant ML350 server. It is by no means new, probably 5 or 6 years old. From what I had read, it was compatible with earlier versions of Backup Exec, but we have never tried Backup Exec until now.

Our current server is a Dell Poweredge SC1420. It is running Win2K3 Small Business Server and Backup Exec 10d with Continiuous Protection Server for Small Business Server. The Compaq AIT 35 GB LVD is an internal drive, connected to the server via a Kouwell KW-910UW 32-bit PCI Ultra Wide SCSI Card. The Backup Exec services are set to run as a user "Backups" which is a member of the Domain Admins group, per recommendation of the install program. Installation, configuration, and troubleshooting of the program has been done logged in as Administrator.

Backup Exec's TAPEINST gave me the following:
Hardware ID = SCSI\SequentialCOMPAQ__SDX-400C________3.0D
Current Driver: caitwn32.sys
Veritas Driver: sonysdx.sys
Upon reboot is shows the sonysdx.sys as the current driver. At that point, ntbackup shows the drive with a red X and cannot access the drive. Backup Exec does not show the drive at all.

If I tell TAPEINST to remove the Veritas driver and use my OEM driver, I can access the drive in ntbackup again, but still cannot access it in Backup Exec.

Backup Exec's BEDIAG is showing the following:

0003:0000:0006:0000 Device Name "\\.\Tape0"
Secondary Name "\\?\scsi#sequential&ven_compaq&prod_sdx-400c&rev_3.0d#5&5471ab5&0&060#{53f5630b-b6bf-11d0-94f2-00a0c91efb8b}"
Primary Inquiry "COMPAQ SDX-400C 3.0D"
Serial Number ""
Device Flags SCSI
Device State 1, Offline, ERROR = 0x00000005 (ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED)

My device is listed on the compatibility list under the Compaq section so I'm not sure if TAPEINST is mistakenly trying to use the incorrect driver, or more likely this Compaq drive is just a rebranded Sony drive.

I have downloaded the latest Veritas drivers. I have tried the steps listed in http://seer.support.veritas.com/docs/255501.htm. Parts of it didn't seem to apply as I do not have a robotic drive or changer. I did see the following Event ID 15 in my System log when using the Veritas drivers. This event does not appear in the log when using the OEM drivers.

RSM cannot manage library Tape0. The database is corrupt.

I'm not sure what else to try at this point. I looked at possibly replacing this drive with a newer AIT drive from Sony that would hold more data on newer tapes but still be backwards compatible with the old tapes. But in my searches for troubleshooting this issue, I found someone with the same issue with the newer drive I was looking at getting! Both drives are on the compatibility list. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Craig_Wheatley]

BEDIAG also has about a hundred entries similar to this one below.

05/26/06 16:29:48 ReadDeviceScsiInquiryInfo - failed

Since this tape drive is listed on the compatibility list for this version of Backup Exec, is it possible that TAPEINST somehow mistakenly selected the wrong driver? Is there any way to manually select a Veritas driver? I know using the OEM drivers doesn't work at all for Backup Exec, though they do work for Ntbackup.

Or perhaps it's not the driver at all but some particular setting related to SCSI communications between Backup Exec and the tape drive (and that's why Backup Exec doesn't work with either driver, whereas Ntbackup works with one of them). Are there any settings I should be looking at in the computer's BIOS, the SCSI card's BIOS, or Backup Exec itself?

[Shilpa_pawar_2]

Hi,

Ensure that the device is recognized in Windows Device Manager.

Stop "Removable storage" service and change startup type to manual.

Download and install latest Veritas driver from following link:
For rev 5520: http://seer.support.veritas.com/docs/279944.htm
For rev 5484: http://seer.support.veritas.com/docs/277619.htm

Also update the firmware of the tape drive.

NOTE : If we do not receive your reply within two business days, this post would be marked "assumed answered" and would be moved to "answered questions" pool.

[Craig_Wheatley]

I had read somewhere to disable the removable storage service, so I did. While rebooting I decided to check out the SCSI BIOS and started mucking with the settings. I disabled asynchronous, disconnect, and wide negotiation. After the system booted back up, Backup Exec recognised my drive.

My scheduled backup last night did not run because it was stuck at a prompt asking if I wanted to overwrite the imported media (I had manually moved it to scratch media yesterday, but I guess that wasn't enough). I just replied Yes to the prompt and the backup appears to be running smoothly so far.