VXA-2 Packetloader 1U library not recognized during scheduled ops

[etiffany]

I have a new VXA-2 Firewire packetloader library which Retrospect does not seem to recognize during automated operations.

 

I am running 6.5.350 with the latest driver update 5.4.110.

 

If I start Retrospect manually, and click Configure -> Devices, the listing appears like this:

- Exabyte Library

- Exabyte VXA DC

[-] Empty

- Library Slots 1 to 10

- 1: Untitled (Erased) Barcode: H0000001

- 2: Untitled (Erased) Barcode: H0000002

etc.

However, when a scheduled script causes Retrospect to launch, it pauses waiting for media (event though there is blank/erased media in the library). Looking at the Devices listing shows this:

- Exabyte VXA DC

[-] (Empty)

with no evidence of the library. I have tried disabling the Windows/Exabyte VXA driver in the device manager as suggested on other threads for different devices, but then Retrospect sees only the Library and not the actual tape drive. So that approach doesn't work.

 

What's the deal?

[natew]

Hi

 

Keep the Windows drivers enabled for firewire devices.

 

In the configure->devices->environment window does it say ASPI or NTPassthrough in the top right corner?

 

Thanks

Nate

[etiffany]

It says NTPassthrough.

 

Note that with the driver enabled, I can get the unit to work correctly when I start Retrospect manually. It finds the blank media, loads it into the tape drive, and does the backups. It's only when Retrospect starts automatically that it fails to recognize the tape library and shows the display.

 

note that I don't have the Exabyte driver for the tape library installed, only the Windows driver for the tape drive itself (which is the latest driver from Exabyte). I don't think it's a driver problem, it's some weird problem with Retrospect figuring out what devices are present when starting automatically.

 

ET

[natew]

Hi

 

I would do this:

Try installing the Exabyte driver for the library and see if that helps. If not you can always uninstall it.

 

If that fails try installing ASPI using the ASPIINST installer located in the Retrospect program folder. Then reboot the machine and try again. This will change the way Retrospect looks down the bus at all devices and may resolve the issue.

 

Thanks

Nate

[etiffany]

Well, neither of those suggestions had any effect. So what next?

 

I installed the Exabyte VXA library driver, and this had no effect. When Retrospect starts up to do a scheduled operation, it still fails to find the Library as noted above and pauses waiting for media.

 

I checked the ASPI installation, and 4.60 was already installed. I upgraded to the latest version from Adaptec, 4.71.2 and rebooted, and the Retrospect configure->devices->environment still says NT Passthrough. I even examined the registry as directed by the Retrospect help, but the registry key is already empty:

 

On Windows NT, 2000, and XP systems, Retrospect uses NT Passthrough by default to access devices. When using ASPI instead, if the ATAPI miniport driver is disabled Retrospect will not see the ATAPI bus. You must enable the miniport driver by editing the registry key at the path:

 

\\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\

CurrentControlSet\Services\Aspi32\

Parameters

Set the ExcludeMiniports value data to empty so Retrospect sees all buses.

[natew]

Hi

 

If you want to use ASPI you must first use the ASPIINST in the Retrospect folder and then upgrade to the last Adaptec version. 4.7 only installs two files, there are two other files that Retrospect needs. Those files are in 4.6.

 

Have you specified a user to run Retrospect as in the Retrospect security preferences? Is that user a full admin on the machine or domain?

 

Thanks

Nate

[etiffany]

Yeah, I did use ASPIINST (which just says "ASPI is up to date!") and then used ASPICHK to see what was installed. The results are below. I then applied the 4.71 upgrade and rebooted.

 

Retrospect is set to run as the logged-in user, but since there is only one user and it is an admin acct, that should be equivalent.

 

 

LOG0166: *****************************************************************

LOG0167: Starting ASPICHK installer on Wed Oct 07 08:23:09 2005

ASPICHK0492: OS = Windows NT (5.01.2600)

ASPICHK0499: Platform = INTEL

UPGRADE0626: c:\windows\system32\wnaspi32.dll dated 09/10/1999 16:06:00, 45056 bytes.

UPGRADE0687: c:\windows\system32\wnaspi32.dll version 4.6.0.1021

UPGRADE0626: c:\windows\system\winaspi.dll dated 09/10/1999 16:06:00, 5600 bytes.

UPGRADE0687: c:\windows\system\winaspi.dll version 4.6.0.1021

UPGRADE0626: c:\windows\system32\drivers\aspi32.sys dated 09/10/1999 16:06:00, 25244 bytes.

UPGRADE0687: c:\windows\system32\drivers\aspi32.sys version 4.6.0.1021

UPGRADE0626: c:\windows\system\wowpost.exe dated 09/10/1999 16:06:00, 4672 bytes.

UPGRADE0687: c:\windows\system\wowpost.exe version 4.6.0.1021

ASPICHK0639: ASPI is properly installed and is fully operational. A total of 3 host adapters have been detected.

LOG0249: Closing installer log on Wed Oct 07 08:23:09 2005

LOG0250: *****************************************************************

[natew]

Hi

 

This is really odd.

 

Have you tried specifying a user for Retrospect to run as? The system administrator would be fine.

 

If you don't specify a user Retrospect will run under the system account. There are some limitations on that account but I have never seen it block access to a backup device.

 

Thanks

Nate

[etiffany]

I have tried to specify a user in the Security preferences, but that has no effect. Still stalls waiting for media.

 

I disabled and re-enabled the Launcher in the preferences as described in your knowledge base, but this had no effect either.

[natew]

Hi

 

Have you ever manually changed the log in preferences of the launcher service? If so - set it back to defaults.

 

It sounds like the ASPI install is not functional. A utility like id.exe will help us know for sure.

 

Try this:

type CTRL + ALT + P + P at any screen in Retrospect. Under the execution heading check the box that says use NT SCSI passthrough. This will force Retrospect to use NT Passthough and not use ASPI.

 

Close Retrospect and try another scheduled backup.

 

If that fails, type CTRL + ALT + P + P and set device logging to 7. Close Retrospect, restart and run another scheduled backup. This will catch the failure in your Retrospect log.

 

zip up the log and send it to me at pacrimsupport@dantz.com. The log file is located at C:\documents and settings\all users\application data\Retrospect\Operations_log.utx

 

Thanks

Nate

[etiffany]

I checked the secret preferences, and the Use NT SCSI Passthrough was already checked. So that explains why ASPI was not being used. I *unchecked* it, and then retrospect used the ASPI drivers. However, the scheduled automatic backup still failed to detect the library and sat there waiting for media.

 

I switched the secret preference back to NT SCSI passthrough, and set the device logging to 7, and ran another backup (which failed). I will email the log as you suggest.

[natew]

Hi

 

Just to verify a couple things:

 

The Exabyte driver for the loader is now installed.

The user you specified to run Retrospect has admin rights on the local machine.

The firmware on the Exabyte loader/tape drive are up to date.

 

Right?

 

Thanks

Nate

[etiffany]

>>The Exabyte driver for the loader is now installed.

 

No. I have reverted to the original configuration using the standard Windows VXA-tape (really Exabyte) driver, with no loader driver installed.

 

>> The user you specified to run Retrospect has admin rights on the local machine.

 

Yes

 

>> The firmware on the Exabyte loader/tape drive are up to date.

 

Yes. At least, as of a couple of days ago.

[natew]

Hi

 

In regard to the driver - please make sure that you tried using ASPI while the loader driver was installed. That should be working.

 

Nate

[etiffany]

OK, I installed the latest ASPI again, and installed the packetloader driver from Exabyte, and made sure that Retrospect was using the ASPI.

 

Still does the same thing -- waiting for media. The devices window shows the VXA tape drive, but no packetloader library.

 

I have captured another level 7 device log with the ASPI and loader driver. I'll send it to you.

 

ET

[natew]

Hi

 

For those monitoring this thread - we have identified a problem and are taking steps to fix it.

 

Thanks

Nate @ EMC Dantz

[etiffany]

So does the new driver update 7.0.8.103 fix this problem?

 

ET

[etiffany]

OK, it's been quite a while now, and this issue is still broken. When do you suppose this will be fixed?

[RonaldL]

Sorry for not following up with this thread. I will pm you the info to download the updated version. For future reference, any customer experiencing this exact issue should contact technical support and refer to the following KB article: http://kb.dantz.com/article.asp?article=8149&p=2