Insert Overwritable Media error

[grinel]

I am running Symantec Backup Exec 10.x on a Windows 2003 Server.  I recently added a new tape drive to our system, Dell Powervault 100T and have been running backups successfully for 5 weeks.  Now I keep receiving a message to insert overwritable media in the drive.

The backups have been running fine.  I have not changed the configuration.  The only difference is the tape.  I thought maybe I had a bad tape but I have tried 5 different brand new tapes and it keeps asking for overwritable media.  I have it set to overwrite all media.  Like I said the backups have been working fine until about a week ago.

I have been unable to complete a backup for over a week now. 

I'm not sure what to do.  Has anyone else experienced this problem?  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Ken_Putnam]

What kind of drive and media are you using?

about how much data is written before the prompt appears/

[Nico_Buma]

I've had the same problem before. Then the problem was: The tape is full, and backup exec automatically tries to span it over multiple tapes. Probably, if you insert another tape, the backup job will continue and then asks you for the first tape to verify the backup and then the second.

Resolution: backup less amount of data, so it will fit your tape again.

[toothache]

I have exactly the same version and OS setup and the same symptoms. I have tried the numerous amounts of suggestions posted in this forum and not one of them has worked. That is not the fault of the users information or my ability to follow them but I am seriously {removed} with Veritas and there failure to fix this issue.

First checked:

- compression ratio

- device hardware failures

- device drivers & upgrade firmware

- media & media errors

- cable connections

- Scsi card and drivers, firmware

(all are up to date and device has been analyzed by HP Storage Works device tool)

Suggestions tried:

- Moved allocated media to scratch then back again to original media set

- move job schedule to scratch

- create new job, new media set

- test new media

- append the media set rules to lowest defined for overwrite

- changed block size, buffer size, buffer count

- changed compression types

If anyone else has any other suggestions before i bin Veritas all together i'd be more than welcome to try.

[Edited: Removed information per the community rules and regulations.]

Message Edited by Brad_C on 12-17-2008 11:20 AM

[Ken_Putnam]

Does this error occur at the beginning of a job, or part way through

What kind of media are you using?  How much gets written  before the error pops up?

[toothache]

Hi Ken,

Just as an update this is now happening to another server in another branch but running version 11d

The server running 11d is using DAT 160 media on a HP DAT 160 SCSI external (self terminated) - approx 80GB data store.

The server running 10d is using LTO media on a HP Ultrium 2 SCSI external (self terminate) - approx 250GB data store.

Thanks.

[Ken_Putnam]

Does any data get written to the tape before the error comes up, or is it at the beginning of the job?

[toothache]

Data gets written near the end of the backup just before verification starts.

[Ken_Putnam]

Data gets written near the end of the backup just before verification starts.

Sounds like the tape is filling up, then.

How much data total goes on the tape?  What kind of drive is it?

Remember that 2:1 compression is more markteing hype than engineering promise.  I generally figure on about 1.3:1 until a job has run a few times and I can get an average for that specific job

[toothache]

as per my post on 01/13/2009

[edredmond]

did you ever get it resolved.  I have the same problem when i insert a new tape

[toothache]

Hi Edredmond,

I dont consider this a true fix but it worked for one of our servers and i shall do it for the other server too. We simply uninstalled and reinstalled the application again, but keeping only the logs and job schedule.

***Remember to first write down your license product codes if you dont have them at hand***

I would only recommend this if you have exhausted all your options. Which I had. As i knew the hardware was not at fault as I had uninstalled the application and backuped up successfully using NT Backup.