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Symantec Backup Exec 2012 cannot find tape drive slots

Pete_Smith1
Level 3

I have just upgraded to Symantec Backup Exec 2012 on Windows Server 2008 with a Dell 124t Autoloader.

The tape drive can be seen by Windows Device manager and Backup Executive, but it cannot see any of the slots. There are tapes loaded within the machine, and I have tried cycling power, updating the driver, stopping and restarting BE services.

I used to use a Version 10d on Windows Server 2003 with no issues.

 

Any ideas on what could be wrong?

15 REPLIES 15

RahulG
Level 6
Employee

Firstly you need to make sure your device manger see's the medium changer? IF medium changer (robot) is nto detected here BE will not see the slots.

IF the medium changer is detected make sure the driver show up as unknown (Microsoft drivers).

Make sure the Library is listed in the hardware compatibility guide

Larry_Fine
Moderator
Moderator
   VIP   

You cannot see the slots?  Or the slots appear empty?

If the former, then go to the storage tab, on the left hand edge of hte screen, click on the arrow/wedge next to your robot.  that should expand the robot vertically so you can see your tape drive and an entry called "slots".  double click on "slots" and you should get the view that shows your 8 slots and the media in them.

lmosla
Level 6

In the Dell 124t Autoloader System console can you see the slots? Can you move a tape from one slot to another?Make sure that there a tape drive isnt stuck.

Pete_Smith1
Level 3

I have just checked Device Manager and the unit does appear underneath the "Tape Drives" section. Is this correct? I have updated the driver for this device to latest from the Dell website. The hardware is also compatible with this version of BE.

 

Larry - there is no arrow to the left of the robot. There is a device there (DELL PV-124T-DLTVS160) and it is online.

 

When I try to perform a clean (for example), it says "Job Failed with the following error: Physical Volume Library robot not found".

RahulG
Level 6
Employee

Do you see the medium changer in the Device manager ? when you use a library you see tape drive and a medium changer in the device manager .

Pete_Smith1
Level 3

No I don't see that, maybe that should be my next line of investigation. I will have a look now.. thanks!

RahulG
Level 6
Employee

Once the medium  changer is Detected in the Device manager, restarted the service and let us know if you backup exec see the slots or not. 

Pete_Smith1
Level 3

Think that that is the issue I have.

I have looked within the Device Manager, and there is no entry for the medium changer? It is a Dell 124t connected via SCSI.. looking on the 'net there has been some issues with that setup before... so will keep digging.

CraigV
Moderator
Moderator
Partner    VIP    Accredited

...if it worked in the past, make sure the cables are all securely connected and that the Dell tape utility reports no hardware faults.

If you swopped servers, make sure you are connecting the PV to a supported SCSI card, and not a RAID controller.

Thanks!

Pete_Smith1
Level 3

Craig - it worked in the past, but on a different server, with a different SCSI card and a different operating system.

 

It is currently connected to a SCSI card - an Adaptec SCSI 29320LPE.

Larry_Fine
Moderator
Moderator
   VIP   

I suspect that you do not have MultiLUN support enabled in this SCSI HBA.  Enable that and watch the SCSI HBA going through post to make sure it lists both the robot and the tape drive.

Since this is an Adaptec card, press CTRL-A during post to get into the menu to enable MultiLUN.

Pete_Smith1
Level 3

Larry- Almost like you've been watching me haha.. I actually enabled that this morning and, like you say, it then appeared on the SCSI list during boot up (sorry for the lack of technical terms here)..

Imagine my disapointment when the library still didn't shown up in the device manager list! I'm starting to get annoyed with this now!

Thank you for all your help so far.

CraigV
Moderator
Moderator
Partner    VIP    Accredited

Can you log onto the web front end of the library and check the hardware's health there?

Pete_Smith1
Level 3

Hi Craig, tried connecting to the autoloader using a CAT 5 cable with no luck. Do I need to use a crossover cable for this?

I would also like to add that we have two seperate systems with the same hardware and software setup that are exhibiting the same issue... so not sure if it would be a hardware fault?

CraigV
Moderator
Moderator
Partner    VIP    Accredited

Hi,

 

Not needed...plug the autoloader into a normal LAN switch, configure the username/password on it and give it an IP address.

Then use your browser to connect to it.

If you have changed hardware from something working to something that doesn't, you need to rule out hardware as an issue.

Here's another suggestion: Try getting hold of another vendor's backup product. Install it (MIGHT conflict, but I have run CA ARCserve 11.5 and BE 12.5 during a rolling upgrade to BE 12.5 without any issues; just disable BE's services) and then see if the other application backs up to tape. If not, then it is definitely hardware.

Thanks!