5.15 using DDS-4 Autoloader in Win2000

[kg_mwong]

I had been trying to set up my Windows version 5.15 since last year. I installed it in a Win 98 machine with a SCSI internal Sony DDS-3 tape drive. The application always gives me "error code -102 (trouble communicating)" or "dirty head...". Then I switched to Windows 2000, and same thing is happening. I thought my tape drive was really piece of junk.

 

 

 

Then, I bought a Dell PowerVault 120T DDS-4 Autoloader which is indicated "Qualified" in Dantz's hardward list. I installed this external drive to the same Win 2000 machine with the right SCSI card (and lvd supported), installed the driver for win 2000, also installed Win2000 service pack 2. When I ran the backup, same thing happened. It gave me "-102 trouble communicating)...". Now I'm really frustrated.

 

 

 

To prove if I had bad device, so I rebuild catalog from tape using previous backup from last year. It ran without any problem. So what's wrong with doing a backup job? Same thing happen to my Mac version which is running 4.3 with a Compaq autoloader.

[lv2ski]

The item that sound related in both situations is the SCSI Card.

 

 

 

Do you have the latest firmware or drivers for your SCSI card? Have you tried these devices on a completely different computer?

[kg_mwong]

Thanks for your reply. I bought the Adaptec SCSI UW card brand new for the autoloader, and I installed the driver with version 3.02. It is the same driver as I downloaded later from Adaptect website. If it is the SCSI card problem, how come I could rebuild the catalog but not able to do backup?

 

 

 

For Mac version, I am already using a SCSI card from Orange Micro with a Sony DDS-4 10000 (not autoloader), and it's working fine. When I hooked up the Compaq autoloader with the same SCSI card (with the old tape drive disconnected), it gave me that error "-102.......". I just can't believe it's the SCSI card problem.

 

 

 

Thanks for you help.

[lv2ski]

So let's figure this out....

 

SCSI card - ruled out.

 

Two different tape drives, two different systems, both run into error 102's when backing up, but they can rebuild the catalog file? Am I at least on the correct path now?

 

 

 

Are you using ASPI or NT passthrough? If you go to Configure/Devices/Device Status what does it say at the top that you are using?

[kg_mwong]

Thanks again.

 

 

 

For the Mac version, I did not go any further in terms of testing it because i can still use the old drive to do daily backup. The only thing that I had tried was doing test backup, no rebuilding catalogs.

 

 

 

For Windows, it shows NT Passthrough.

[lv2ski]

Let's focus on the Windows version.

 

 

 

Let's try switching to ASPI:

 

 

 

To ensure that ASPI, the utility that Retrospect uses to communicate with

 

devices, is installed correctly. Run ASPICHK (in the Retrospect Program

 

Files folder) to make sure ASPI is "green" and all components are at version

 

4.60. If not, try a reinstall (ASPIINST.exe).

 

 

 

If this is Windows 2000 or NT, enable ASPI:

 

From the Retrospect Directory hit Ctrl-Alt-P-P. Under "Execution," un-check

 

"Enable NT SCSI Passthrough." Click OK. Quit and relaunch.

 

 

 

Does that help with the error 102's?

 

If not you can switch back to NT passthrough by going back under and checking Enable NT SCSI passthrough.

 

 

 

 

[kg_mwong]

I followed your instructions and I found these settings:

 

 

 

WINASOI32.DLL 4.60 (1021)

 

WINASPI.DLL 4.6 (1021)

 

ASPI32.SYS N/A

 

WOWPOST.EXE N/A

 

 

 

Then I ran the ASPINST.exe and changed all those files became 4.60 version.

 

 

 

I had unchecked "Enable NT SCSI Passthrough" and go to CONFIGURE->Device to make sure it is "Devices visible using ASPI...". Then I tried the backup with an "Erased" tape, and it gave me this error message, "-206 (drive reported failure...". The tape status changed to "Media Failure".

 

 

 

So I switched back to "Enable NT SCSI Passthrough". When it loads the same tape, the status shows "content unrecognized", and I tried to erase the tape. It gave me the same error as above. This is very frustrated.

[lv2ski]

http://www.dantz.com/index.php3?SCREEN=knowledgebase_article&id=75

 

 

 

This points to it clearly being some type of hardware communication failure. Either with the media or with the tape drive. The article above has some troubleshooting steps in it that will be useful in this case.

[kg_mwong]

Hi there,

 

 

 

Thank you again for helping. These are my answer to each of the points listed in the article.

 

 

 

1) I did use a cleaning cartridgeto clean the tape drive. It didn't help. I had opened several brand new DDS-4 tape and try, same error.

 

 

 

2) The autoloader is the only SCSI device attached to this computer, and there is no USB device.

 

 

 

3) It could be a bad cable, but why does it works when rebuilding catalogs?

 

 

 

4) I bought two LVD terminator. The led lights up yellow when the computer boots up.

 

 

 

5) I agree that PC has lots of problem, that's why I switch to become a MAC person. However, I'd been instaling Retrospect for Win in Windows98 and Windows2000 in the same machine, and it doesn't solve the problem.

 

 

 

6) I'm going to install my Veritas Backup Exec to try this drive to see if I have a bad drive. If it works then I'm going to find out if they have a Mac version too.

 

 

 

Thanks.