Cleaning The Drive

[Scott_Krise]

We are having problems with some of our backups not completing successfully. It reports having read / write errors...and mentions cleaning the drive periodically.

We are using a Seagate DAT 9SP40-000 SCSI drive.

When I go into the Veritas software and look under drive tasks, I see CLEAN, but its deactivated. I've also found documentation on how to set up a "cleaning job", but it refers the need to click on "Robotic Libraries" in the instructions, but my drive is not listed there.

What do I need to do to clean this drive? We've also just purchased a brand new cleaning tape, however as soon as I put it in the drive, it ejects it.

Thanks,

Scott

[Ken_Putnam]

You can only schedule a cleaning job for a loader/library

For a stand-alone drive, just stick the cleaning cartridge in let it run, and remove when it is ejected (usually a minute or so).  tick off one box on the supplied label, and toss it when all have been checked (usually 20 times)

[Scott_Krise]

Ok Ken...that explains why I can't set up a cleaning job, thanks.

I still would like some input from you or others here with far more tape drive experience than myself on what might be causing the problems we are experiencing. I guess I'm leaning towards the possibility that the drive is damaged/defective...but I want to rule out any other possibilities first.

Again, our problems are:

1) The drive regularly errors out during backups with read/write errors.

2) It cannot always detect or catalog a tape when it is inserted.

3) It sometimes refers to the drive being dirty and in need of cleaning, but when we put the cleaning tapes in (we have 3...1 brand new...2 older ones), it ejects them within 10 - 15 seconds. I assume a damaged read/write head could cause this type of behavior...but it only does it with cleaning tapes...not regular ones.

Years ago, I know tape drives were typically cleaned with a Q-Tip and some rubbing alcohol. Since the cleaning tape won't stay in, can it still be cleaned that way without damaging the drive?

Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Scott

[Ken_Putnam]

If you suspect bad hardware, have you downloaded and run the manufacturer's diagnostics against the drive?

Message Edited by Ken Putnam on 05-10-200708:00 AM