Getting error 96- unable to allocate new media for backup, storage unit has none available(96) when there is media available!

[Evan]

Hey All,

I'm a bit confused with NBU right now, I'm trying to run a backup to tape right now and I keep getting error 96. The thing is that, when I do tape summary I have over 7 Active tapes from the volume pool that is assign to this policy. So, i'm wondering why NBU keeps telling me that there is no media available? Is there something I'm missing that I need to do?

I'm running NBU 6.5.2 on windows 2008

Thanks for your help!

Evan

[rjrumfelt]

There are lots of suggestions in this thread to check, and rather than repeat them here, just check out this thread and see if it leads you in the right direction.

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/netbackup-654-error-96-8-empty-tapes-drive

[Andy_Welburn]

there are a lot of suggestions & it's been covered many, many times in this forum - try the "new" Connect Search & see if it works ;)

But things to check for:
Tape density
Tape expiration (not to be confused with image expiration)
Retention periods (by default not mixed on media)
Frozen/suspended media
Scratch volume pool set
etc etc etc

Also, try the following for EC 96:

This Technote contains a table for NetBackup's Status Codes, with links to potential resolutions fo...

[sunbird]

If the backup runs for a bit, it is selecting one of the tapes to write on; once it hits the end of media mark it is forced to grab an AVAILABLE tape (not an ACTIVE, partially full, tape), of which you have none... and the backups fails.  Status code 96