Problems w/ Sony AIT Autoloader

[humphrey]

I think I posted this in the wrong forum...

 

 

 

I'm having a problem with a new Sony AIT Autoloader with Retrospect 5.5

 

(About Retrospect shows version # 5.5.144). This installation is running on

 

an NT 4.0 Server w/ SP3. In a nutshell, the Retrospect is endlessly loading

 

the tape from Slot 4 in a search for an appropriate tape for a backup. This

 

is with a Recycle backup with all tapes in the 4-cartridge magazine erased.

 

Retrospect shows the tapes as being erased in its Configue Devices window.

 

 

 

I called Dantz tech support prior to purchasing this autoloader, (a Sony

 

TSL-SA500C - according to the device's front panel, and a

 

TSL-A500C-according to the "properties" window in Configure Devices), to

 

confirm that it would work with Server backup (I have v. 5.5...more on this

 

in a moment). I was told the device would work.

 

 

 

When I go to configure devices, the panel shows the following:

 

 

 

- "Icon" SONY AIT DC AUTOLOADER SCSI 1:6

 

- "Icon" Sony AIT DC No media SCSI 1:6

 

..............."Icon" (Empty)

 

- "Icon" Library slots 1 to 4

 

........"Icon" 1: (Erased) (These icons are the grayed

 

tape icon)

 

........"Icon" 2: (Erased)

 

........"Icon" 3: (Erased)

 

........"Icon" 4: (Erased)

 

 

 

 

 

Last night I attempted my first unattended backup with this device,

 

(actually first backup of any kind w/ this device). The backup is scheduled

 

to kickoff at 10PM, which it did. When I checked the backup machine

 

(NTServer 4 ) the following day, I found the execution window with two

 

clocks indicating the backup was loading media. The log indicated that the

 

backup process had been in this state since shortly after backup had

 

commenced the previous evening (immediately after the server volumes had

 

been resolved). No data was acutally backed up.

 

 

 

I also attempted an attended backup while observing the Configure Devices

 

window. The beginning state of the window was as illustrated above...with

 

none of the 4 erased tapes loaded. The sequence of events was:

 

 

 

Backup launches

 

Preparing

 

Scan first volume to be backed up

 

Moving media from Slot 4 to Sony AIT...

 

Searching drives for 1-Week B (I guess the Table wasn't updated previously

 

to show all slots having erased tapes) How does one reset the Magazine

 

Memory anyway??

 

Pending...searching drives...etc drive becoming ready...

 

back to moving media... but it appears now that it is attempting to only

 

load from Slot 4

 

 

 

 

 

Can someone out there give me some guidance with this??

 

 

 

Bob Humphrey

 

humphrey@alaska.net

 

 

[CarrellWiers]

I dont have an answer but I am also having the same problem with my ultruim drive. The backup starts but gets stuck searching for a tape that it already has. If I turn off the drive and restart it, while retrospect is running, it will then find the tape (most of the time) Its becoming a real pain in my #ss

 

 

 

 

 

Please post any answers you find

[cmueller]

I'm having the same problems with my AIT, just posted for help. Have you found anything out yet?

 

 

 

_C

[AmyJ]

Please check your Firmware version for this drive under Configure > Devices > Environment.

 

Units with firmware L201 and later require Retrospect 5.5 and Retrospect Driver Update 2.3.125 or later. Retrospect Driver Updates are available at:

 

http://www.dantz.com/index.php3?SCREEN=download_software

 

 

 

If you are running the latest RDU and continue to have problems, the following troubleshooting should help you isolate the source of the problem:

 

 

 

Make sure ASPI is installed by running ASPICHK (installed into the Retrospect Program Files directory).

 

Try updating the drivers for your SCSI card.

 

Did you use this drive with another backup software program? If so, did it install any extraneous drivers? If it did, try uninstalling these.

 

Try a different tape in your drive. If you're trying tapes of the same brand, try at least one of a different brand.

 

Try minimizing your SCSI bus by taking off any other SCSI devices.

 

Try using a different cable from the PC to the tape drive.

 

Try using a different terminator on the back of the drive.

 

Try swapping PCI slots the card is installed into.

 

 

 

Finally, try bringing this drive to another PC and trying the backup. If it works here, you could be having a problem with either the SCSI card on the original machine or with the PC itself.