How to format "unrecognised media"

[webwalker]

Hi,

We have just installed Backup Exec Server 2010 on a single server with a HP LTO3 tape drive.

Windows x64 2008 standard (Not Sp1) with all latest patches.

Install has gone fine, except that when I run a job to backup the system, the tape is ejected and the BE Alerts says insert media. If I put the tape back in, it just spits it out again.

If I cancel the job, insert the tape and look at the tape device under devices, the GUI shows the tape with a lable of "?" and "unrecognised media". I can perform no tasks on this tape /device except catalogue or inventory. If I try to catalogue or inventory, the tape is ejected and the BE Alerts say insert media.

Catch 22. How can I format the tape/tapes so that BE 2010 will use them?

I should point out that the tapes were used with another vendors product which didn't meet our requirements before I installed Backup Exec. I know that the server, tape drive & tapes are good.

Thanks

[AmolB]

Right click on the tape and erase it, perform an inventory and then run a backup job.

Earse will delete all the data from the tape.

[pkh]

An erase will not work if the tape is not properly labeled.  Put the tape into your tape drive.  In the Devices tab, right-click on your tape drive and select label to label the tape.  Labeling a tape will erase all its content.  After the label, in the Devices tab, you should be able to see your newly labeled tape in your tape drive.

[webwalker]

Hi pkh,

You are correct. Erase does not work because that option is not available in the context menu. That option is greyed out and is not selectable.

I will try labeling the tape in the way you have mentioned. I have to return to the remote site to perform this work and I will report back the status of your advice.

thank you

[webwalker · Accepted solution]

Hi,

I have finally resolved this issue. Turns out to be a GUI "Feature".

Under the devices tab, there are two folders. One is called Device Pools and the other is the ServerName. The " device pools" has "All devices" underneath it with the tape drive for the server displayed. The other folder (%ServerName%) also has the same tape drive listed underneath it.

However, if you right-click the upper tape device, you will not be able to perform any tasks on the device. If you go to the device listed under "%ServerName%", and right-click you CAN perform tasks.

Therefore, I had to select Erase from the context menu on the lower device listed, not the upper one. Once the tape was erased I was then able to format and lable the tapes and move them into the corrrect medial pools.

Quite why there is a difference in the behaviour of the context menus , I don't know, but it certainly stopped me from working.

regards

[pkh]

The devices listed under the Servername section are the actual devices.  Those listed under the device pool section at like short-cuts of the device.  If you create other Device Pools, then they and the devices in them appears in the upper section.