Problem with Loading Media...

[George_Annan]

I'm trying to run a backup job... it's worked fine for the customer for about 10 months... now I'vve been called to have a look at it... I've tried to create new backup jobs, but when it tries to load the media, the cassette is ejected and I'm displayed with the option to insert overwriteable media into the tape. This is a DDS5 Seagate Drive, with Version 10.1d of the software.

Any ideas? I'm considering replacing the tapes.

Regards,

G.

[Sanjay_Raval]

what is the defined overwrite protection period?

[Gail_Tobin]

I too have the same problem with the same Seagate drive and software version 10d on a Windows 2003 server. My EXTRA tape which I use if I do not have another tape for the backup was first used on 11/16/06 and I tried to last use it on 1/15/07. When I came in, the tape was ejected. The alert said please insert overwritable media in drive. My settings for that tape are OVERWRITABLE, Infinite - Allow Append.

Now when I insert the tape, the drive runs for a few minutes and then ejects the tape. Is there anyway to reuse or reinitialize the tape?

Also, when I insert one of my good tapes (we run a nightly backup), the drive recognizes the tape, but if I go into MEDIA shouldn't I see what tape is currently loaded?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Ken_Putnam]

Every time that you change tapes, you need to run an inventory so that BackupExec knows what tape is mounted. After the inventory, is the tape listed in Blue (overwritable) or black (protected). If the tape does show in black, you can drag the tape volume to the scratch media set, and BackupExec should accept it


Also be aware that Overwrite - Infinite means NEVER overwrite


Does anything get written to the tape? perhaps the backup has grown and now exceeds the capacity of the tape?

[Ken_Putnam]

Does anything get written to the tape? perhaps the backup has grown and now exceeds the capacity of the tape?

Before the job runs, do an inventory. Does the tape appear in blue (Overwritable) or black (protected)

[George_Annan]

My settings are more or less identical... the tapes are set to overwrite - infinite. I haven't yet tried to check the media out, as I will be calling in to the company tomorrow. I do know the tapes capacity is 50% used.

What would be a more ideal backup method for a company with about 30-60 gb of data being backed up over a two week period.

Currently, we have been backing all the data up fully each night on ten tapes over two weeks then a full tape for every other month - so 12 tapes altogether.

If I erase the tapes or move them, would there be a more effective backup method?

G.

[Sanjay_Raval]

George,

Your overwrite setting is infinite. Means tape never consider for overwrite. Ken already mentioned that in his reply.

Change the overwrite protection setting as per your requirement will help you to solve the problem.

No need to erase the media, define the append and overwrite period as per requirement is o.k.

Example for seetings - For Daily media - Append period 5days, Overwrite 30 days

so after 30 days media will be available for overwrite and donot require erase.

[Gail_Tobin]

The inventory worked. Thanks for the info. But I still don't understand why my extra tape will not stay in the drive. I put it in, the tape unit runs and then ejects the tape before I can do anything. On the media tab, I see the tape and it has the blue color icon. The properties say last run on 1/15/07, used space is 1.29 GB, remaining 18GB.

Should I try to retire the tape and then reinvoke it (if this can even be done) or should I just consider this tape to be bad? I can't even see what is on the tape because it ejects.I have an order in for some new tapes just in case.

[Ken_Putnam]

If you cannot even inventory the tape with no jobs active that might reject the tape, I'd say that the volume is bad, and yes you should just toss that one.