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content unrecognized - damaged tape


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Using: Win2000, Retrospect Multi Server 6.5.350, SPECTRA 2000 AIT Drive

 

Hello,

 

I am quite new to Retrospect and I apologise if this is a stupid question...

 

I have the problem, that it seems that one of my tapes is damaged (Tape 12 of 17). If I load it into the drive Retrospect comes up with the message "content unrecognized".

 

As we are doing an incremental backup I would:

 

a: like to know which data is missing and

 

b: I would like to backup the missing data again to a new tape which should appear as tape 12.

 

 

I hope I described my problem good enough, if you have any further questions just ask.

 

Greetings

 

seick

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Hi

 

You will need to go to configure->backup sets->backupset name->properties and set the member as "missing". That will tell Retrospect that the files on that tape are gone and need to be backed up again if they are still on disk.

 

The backup process is linear in many respects so you can't specify a new tape # 12. All the data will be appended to the last member of the set.

 

There isn't really a good way to see what was on that tape. The best option is to start a "search for files" restore and leave the search criteria blank. This will give you a list of every file in the backup set. Anything file with an asterisk next to it was on the damaged tape.

 

Nate

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hey Nate,

 

I'm experiencing the exact same problem with a similar configuration:

 

Windows Server 2003, Retrospect MultiServer 6.5.350 w/the latest rdu.px, Spectra2k Library w/dual AIT drives. The Library's firmware is up-to-date. The Library is connected to a Dell PowerEdge via an ATTO ExpressPCI card (which appears to use an Adaptec 29160 chipset).

 

Only in my case, any compatible tapes placed within the Library and scanned by Retrospect are "identified" as unknown, regardless of whether or not they contain Retrsopect-written data or are erased. Also, The tape drive status indicator never changes from No Media even though I can watch the robot load and unload tapes into and out of the drives. The only tapes that are recognized are the cleaning tapes!

 

Of course this is one of those problems that came out of nowhere. This configuration worked well for months and then one day...

 

I've tried to eliminate SCSI voodoo to the best of my ability by swapping cables, SCSI IDs, replacing terminators. I've also connected the Library to a similarly configured Dell server running the same version of Retrospect and the same thing happens; however, when I connect the Library to a Mac XServe, same type of SCSI card, running Retrospect Server 6.0, it works as expected.

 

I've spoken with Dantz tech. support and they had me try the following:

 

Deleting Retrospect prefs. and initiating a first run.

Depressing the shift key while ejecting the Library cartridge, then rescanning tapes.

Connect the Library to another Windows server running Retrospect (mentioned above).

 

So far, none of these attempts have been successful. Do you have any other suggestions?

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Hi

 

For starters make sure the tape drive an loader are disabled in the windows device manager. I have seen cases where the driver randomly re-enables itself. Does the configure->devices->environment window say you are using ASPI or NT Passthrough?

 

Thanks

Nate

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Regarding device re-enabling under W2k/XP:

- if the system's set to OS autoupdate, the tape drive will show everytime in "Drivers" section, i.e., will reinstall itself;

- there're might be "Reinstall" entries in the registry for the device in question. I'm not on the machine right now, so I am not sure about the exact location.

For my Quantum library, I've used DLTSage to get the library/drive IDs numbers in the registry, and manually deleted these. However, I've seen it reappear immediately after new USB devices introduction (thumbdrives, Zip).

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Nate,

 

Secret preferences, eh? Well it was worth a shot but, alas, this too has failed to correct the problem. Besides, it worked for months just fine using ASPI.

 

So now what? This is a big problem for us as this system manages the backup for nearly 50% of our 600 Mac clients. We need help fast! I'm going to call tech. support again but any other advice or insight that you–or anyone else reading this–might be able to provide would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks Much,

 

-Michael

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Nate,

 

A couple of things since my last post:

 

Spoke w/tech. support at Dantz (Michael), during which we discovered that the Spectra2k's library firmware is NOT up-to-date afterall. The most current version is 1022–very recently released–and mine is using 1020.

 

Then I received the Dantz ASM newsletter where Robin Mayoff references Dantz KB article 28162: Spectralogic Tape Libraries and Retrospect (http://www.dantz.com/index.php3?SCREEN=kbase&ACTION=KBASE&id=28162).

 

Looks like I need to upgrade some firmware! I'll let you know how it works out.

 

Thanks,

 

-Michael

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