Why are my tapes "too different from other media"?

[Maser]

Is there some way to override this?

 

 

 

On occasion, when I go to add another tape to my backup set (either a *fresh blank tape* or a tape that has been used before), I will be greeted with the message:

 

 

 

This tape cannot be added to the backup set

 

It is too different from the other media in the set.

 

 

 

Well, no it's not. These are all DLT tapes from the same manufacturer, running on the same backup device. I'm now trying my *10th* different tape to see if I can append my set, but not having any luck.

 

 

 

And I can use the same tapes to create a *new* backup set. I'm just now stuck not being able to append my *current* backup set.

 

 

 

What is it that Retrospect (5.0.205 running on OSX) is checking that makes the tape think it's "too different" and how can I override this obviously incorrect message? (I've restarted the tape drive and the computer and I can erase the "different tapes" with no problems.)

 

 

 

HELP!

[shadowspawn]

Probably because your backup set (not the backup media) is damaged.

 

 

 

I had this problem recently too. The knowledge base has an article covering this. I suspect there is some way to rebuild the backup set from scratch using the media, but this is not covered in the article.

 

 

 

http://www.dantz.com/index.php3?SCREEN=kbase&ACTION=KBASE&id=26513

 

 

 

Media too different

 

 

 

A Media too different message reports that your media is too different in either or both of two cases:

 

 

 

1. You are trying to append to a tape backup set that is damaged. If you crashed or experienced a power failure while last writing to your tape and are now getting this error when trying to append, your backup set is damaged. You will not be able to append to this backup set but you can retrieve all files from it. Create a new set or do a recycle backup to this set if you wish to start over. The media is not damaged but the backup set is damaged such that Retrospect cannot append to it.

 

 

 

2. You are trying to append to a tape backup set using a different drive family. Retrospect supports using different tape mechanisms in a single backup set when the mechanisms are similar in type. For example if tape 1 of a backup set is a DAT tape, tape 2 could be an 8mm tape but not a TEAC data cassette. Use drives of similar types when creating mixed drive backup sets.

[Maser]

My problem with this is that it's *possible* that my backup set was damaged, but I wouldn't know that.

 

 

 

I *was* able to append the backup set if I used a smaller capacity DLT tape!

 

 

 

I normally use 40G tapes. When I went through my stack of 40G tapes and none would work, I pulled out an old 15G tape and was able to append the backup set.

 

 

 

That's what I don't get....

 

 

 

 

[Drishmung]

Not just tapes.

 

 

I tried backing up to CD-R, and go the dreaded "error 102" at the end of the disc.

I tried rebuilding the backup set from the (single) disc and it sits and spins at the end with 'dirty heads/bad media'. When I try to do another backup with this backup set it complains that the media is too different.

AARGH!This is the latest RE, latest RDU, and Jaguar.

This is farcical. But, ever the optimist, I shall continue to wait for Dantz to release a version of RE that actually works for me, as it used to do splendidly under Mac OS 9.x.

[kuoirad]

I *was* able to append the backup set if I used a smaller capacity DLT tape!

 

 

I normally use 40G tapes. When I went through my stack of 40G tapes and none would work, I pulled out an old 15G tape and was able to append the backup set.

 

 

Has this been figured out? I just ran into a problem where I accidently fed Retrospect (5.x on Mac OS 9.2.2) a 2G DDS-1 tape when I'd been using 20G DDS-4 tapes. When the 2G tape ran out as expected, I tried to give it a new 20G DDS-4 tape, like I'd been using. I got the "This tape cannot be added to this backup set...too different from the other media...." error. The only different media was the 2G tape I used last time I added a tape to the set.

 

I've looked at the suggestions for this, and more or less destroying the backup set as it stands does not sound like much of an acceptible solution to me.

 

Does anyone have any relevant things to try? I have not troubleshot the hardware involved, but I seriously doubt anything's wrong on that end.

 

Thanks,

Dario

[Maser]

I never got this resolved.

 

What I do as a workaround (which always works) is erase the tape (so it's marked as "empty"), then I restart the backup server computer.

 

the backup server script then recognizes the "empty" tape as being ready to append the storage set and things work automatically.

 

It's one of those things that doesn't happen often, but happens just enough that I still notice (and get irritated by) it.

 

 

[kuoirad]

Well, I resolved it in a more or less unsatisfactory way.

 

Just to test, I threw another 2G tape in there, and surprise, surprise, it worked. :-P

 

I tried making a new post in the OS 9 products area, but noone bothered to respond. So I went looking for more help and found a suggestion to change this set from a "Normal" backup set to a "New Media" backup set. Keeps the catalog intact, just starts on new media. Unfortunately, it also takes full (level 0) backups now and will re-start the incrementals, but oh well. Better than a "Recycle" backup.

 

I view this as a bug that needs to be fixed. It's not a corrupt backup set, and it's not a new drive mechanism. But I have a sneaking suspicion Dantz won't fix it. But that's just my pessimistic side.