Incompatible media has been detected in the slot (BE 2012)

[William_Lawance]

Hi,

IBM TS3100 is using, just insert LTO 2 tape for backup.

After inventory the tape, error shown.

Incompatible media has been detected in the slot. The most likely causes for this error are: The library or tape drive hardware is reporting an incompatible media error, or the library has Barcode rules enabled and a Barcode rule does not exist for the Barcode in the slot, or there is no tape drive in the library that is compatible with the media in the slot as specified by the matching Barcode rule.

What's the problem ??

Thanks

[pkh]

1) How many tape drives do you have in your library?

2) What kind of drives are they?  LTO2, LTO3, LTO4, LTO5, LTO6?

3) Since you are using LTO2 tapes, they can only be read by LTO2, LTO3 and LTO4 tape drives and they can only be written to by LTO2 and LTO3 tape drives.  Check that your tape drive is compatible with your tapes.

[William_Lawance]

Hi,

1) 1 tape drive only

2) 1 x LTO 4 and 1 x LTO 2

3) can only be read by LTO2, LTO3 and LTO4 and can only be written to by LTO2 and LTO3 ??

    I don't understand this point ??

Thanks

[pkh · Accepted solution]

1) 1 tape drive only

2) 1 x LTO 4 and 1 x LTO 2

I don't understand.  You said you have 1 tape drive and then you say you have 1 x LTO 4 and 1 x LTO 2 tape drives.  This is 2 tape drives, so how many tape drives do you have? 1 or 2?

3) can only be read by LTO2, LTO3 and LTO4 and can only be written to by LTO2 and LTO3 ??

Let me put it in another way.  A LTO tape drive can read tapes from 2 generation back, e.g. LTO4 tape drive can read LTO4, LTO3, LTO2 tapes.  A LTO tape drive can write to tapes from 1 generation back, e.g. LTO4 tape drive can write to LTO4, LTO3 tapes.

A LTO4 tape drive cannot write to a LTO2 tape, so you cannot backup to a LTO2 tape with a LTO4 tape drive.  This is your problem.

[William_Lawance]

- 1 tape library inserted 2 tapes (1 x LTO 4 and 1 x LTO 2)

- ok, understood. Since I am using IBM TS3100, tech. doc. written this is LTO6, but I can write data on LTO5 tape. Confusing .....

[pkh]

If you are using a LTO6 tape drive then it can only write to either LTO6 or LTO5 tapes.  It cannot write to LTO4 or LTO2 tapes.

The downward compatibility of LTO tape drives is very well documented and is in force for a long time.

[William_Lawance]

Sorry, I can write date LTO4 not LTO5

So my drive only LTO5 gen ??

[pkh]

If you can write to a LTO4 tape, then your drive can either be a LTO4 or LTO5 tape drive.  You need to confirm which type of tape drive with IBM.  In either case, it cannot write to LTO2 tapes.

[William_Lawance]

It also MUST NOT be ITO6 tape drive, Right ??

[pkh]

Yes.  If it can write to a LTO4 tape drive, it cannot be a LTO6 tape drive.  You should not just guess what tape drive you have.  You should confirm it with IBM and get the correct type of tape.

[William_Lawance]

ok, Thanks so much !!

[CraigV]

...check out the Wiki link below where you can find out what colour the tapes are...!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linear_Tape-Open