error -102

[viper73]

Compaq ML370 Server running:

 

Windows 2000 Server,

 

SCSI Travan 10/20 Tecmar Drive. (COMPAQ)

 

Dantz Retrospect Server 5.6.

 

Member Server of Domain

 

 

 

Dantz sees the tape drive without problem, and writes to it for anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes, then pops up a message box:

 

 

 

Trouble writing media:

 

"1-Wednesday"

 

error -102 (trouble communicating)

 

 

 

[OK]

 

 

 

So you click on OK, and Dantz sees the drive, but claims there is no tape in the drive. It has not ejected the tape, it simply says the tape is missing.

 

 

 

1. RSM is turned off

 

2. The tape is in the drive and ejecting it and re-inserting it allows Dantz to see it.

 

3. Microsoft Backup writes to this tape without fault if I do the same data backup using it.

 

 

 

The knowledge base only mentions this error with regards to MAC.

 

 

 

Any thoughts?

 

 

 

Paul

 

 

[AmyJ]

The troubleshooting steps for Error 102 are almost identical to those on the Macintosh side.

 

 

 

Error 102 trouble communicating

 

 

 

This error occurs when the CPU loses contact with the backup device. The most common cause is improper SCSI termination. But it can also be caused by other issues on the bus. It is necessary to go through the SCSI troubleshooting outline below to isolate the cause of the problem.

 

 

 

1) a dirty tape drive. Clean the drive with a cleaning cartridge.

 

 

 

2) another device on your SCSI bus may be interfering with the tape drive's communication. Turn off your computer and the SCSI devices. Make sure your SCSI ID numbers don't conflict. Disconnect all SCSI devices except for the tape drive.

 

 

 

3) you have a bad cable. Replace the SCSI cable that connects the tape drive to the computer after removing other devices and cables from the SCSI chain.

 

 

 

4) you are missing a terminator or have a bad terminator. The last device and ONLY the last device in your SCSI chain needs to be terminated. Try replacing the terminator if you already have one on the chain.

 

 

 

5) SCSI card drivers and/or firmware. Update your SCSI card's drivers to their latest version (if this is a SCSI device). Even if the card is brand new, there may be updated drivers. Consult the manufacturer's website.

 

 

 

6) Was ASPI installed correctly? Run ASPICHK (in the Retrospect Program Files folder) to make sure ASPI is "green." If not, try a reinstall. If you still have problems, consult the Retrospect User's Guide or Adaptec's website.

 

 

 

7) the computer or SCSI card may be having a problem. Install Retrospect on another computer and try the tape drive there as the lone SCSI device.

 

 

 

8) the drive may be defective. If you have implemented all of the preceding steps and get failures on multiple tapes after changing cables, terminators and computers, then the drive, being the only factor that has not changed, is the culprit--send it back to your vendor for repairs.

 

 

 

In the event that your tape is bad, you can determine what was on that tape by clicking on Configure:Backup Sets, selecting the Backup Set to which it belongs and marking all tapes other than the damaged tape "missing." Then go through the motions of a search and retrieval (Immediate:Restore:Search) and click on searching when you have selected the Backup Set and a destination drive. Make sure you're searching for "file name contains

 

(BLANK)," and let the search proceed. Click on files chosen. Files with black diamonds next to their names are on the other tapes. The damaged tape's files will not show black diamonds.

 

 

 

Transferring files from a bad tape is another matter. If there is a bad spot on the tape (a manufacturing defect or a spot damaged by human error), a tape to tape or tape to hard drive transfer will not work. You can transfer the data up to the bad spot, but due to the linear nature of tape, you will not be able to proceed any further.