Using LTO-3 media shows wrong available capacity on properties.

[JoseJ]

I installed an IBM Ultrium TD3 drive on my Backup Exec 11b server. It is shown on the stand-alone drive  list OK (product ID: IBM Ultrium TD3, Drive type : LTO-64K (64K, 10, 0, e, hu). The problem that I'm facing is that trying to use the LTO-3 media type (400gb) in the captioned drive, it only shows the available capacity of 35.5GB . I've run inventory several times, and it still shows the same capacity. I even tried to run my backup job,but every time it reach 32-33GB it become really slow. The tapes I'm using were previously used by another application on the same drive. After I run inventory on the tapes, I always run Quick erase. Any ideas what could be the problem?

[Ben_L_]

Can you check to make sure you are running the latest Symantec drivers?  Most times when I've run across this it was a driver issue.

[JoseJ]

Where could I check if I have the latest drivers?

[Ben_L_]

Here are the links to the latest set of drivers.

32bit - http://seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/294731.htm

64bit - http://seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/294733.htm

[JoseJ]

I just checked and the Hotfix 29 is already installed in my system. The installed updates are:

Service Pack 2, Hot fix 27, 30 and 29.

I do not think the issue is releated with the drivers as I can see the proper unit and even in the Media Properties, I can see the LTO type selected. It looks like instead of LTO 3 it is using the spec. of LTO-30 (?). Any other ideas? 

[JoseJ]

Another thing to note: In this server I was using before a 8mm tape drive from DELL. It is still installed, but not in use any more. I still can see in the Offline Media the reported capacity of 35GB for the tapes associated with the media set 1. What is strange is that it is the same capacity reported for the LTO tapes in use right now . 

 Another thing that I noted is that in the used capacity reported in the Media tab, it is only 2.13GB of 35 and last time I run the Backup it was reaching the 33GB after several hours of operation.

[Ben_L_]

Can you check driver provider of the Tape drives and make sure it is the Symantec driver?  You can do this from Device Manager in Windows.

[JoseJ]

Thanks . I installed the Symantec drivers for the ULTRIUM and now it reports the correct capacity. For my 39160 I just downloaded the latest driver from Adaptec web site.

Now the problem that I'm having is that it is reporting a very slow transfer rate (20-25Mb/s) and in fact is taking a long time to backup my Exchange server. The Device Configuration Wizard didn't recommend any new driver.

Is there anything else I should do?

[Ben_L_]

How fast is the speed of a local backup to tape?

[JoseJ]

The rate is extremely slow backing up the Exchange Mailboxes (7MB/min), but backing up from another server through the LAN it reports 5,100MB/min, so I assume that it must be something specific with the settings to backup the Exchange.

[Ken_Putnam]

Brick leverl (individual mailbox) backups are  extremely slow, and there is nothing you can do to speed them up (tho 7 MB/min is really, really  slow, we normally see reports of speeds in the 25-50MB/min range)

[Forums]

I have the same problem with my IBM Ultrium and I'm trying to change the drivers in order to use the latest Symantec drivers (I got them in http://seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/294731.htm) but after run the application and restart my drivers are not updated (still appears manufacturer driver). 

Any idea?